


Track 14

by ADashOfStarshine (ADashOfInsanity)



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Boyband, Disabled Character, M/M, Mutual Masturbation, Nipple Play, Past Abuse, Sex Toys, Size Difference, video call sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 136,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26275882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADashOfInsanity/pseuds/ADashOfStarshine
Summary: The hot new boyband "Uninhibited" has taken the charts by storm. Who knew combining two flashy influencers and one unknown talent could create such a sensation in the music world?-Aphelios' music career had a rocky start, but he has a new surprise waiting for his bandmates - Ezreal and Vladimir. Against all odds, and perhaps his better judgement, the silent musician has composed his own song.And no one is ready for the fallout of "Track 14".League of Legends Boyband AU
Relationships: Aphelios/Sett (League of Legends), Ekko/Ezreal (League of Legends), Jericho Swain/Vladimir
Comments: 108
Kudos: 197





	1. All Together Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphelios is not sure what to expect when he's messaged by an old school mate about a band.  
> He certainly didn't expect this.
> 
> (A prologue of sorts, explaining how Uninhibited got together.)

“What the fuck is _this_?!”

So echoed the noon call of the hungover Vladimir. It rang down the marble stairs into the lounge below, where his guests had long been awaiting his arrival. So long in fact, that one had decided to make his presence known upstairs, despite all warnings to the contrary.

“Oh, don’t get your knickers in a tw-“ came the equally-loud reply. However, the intruder wasn’t allowed to get his words out. There was the sound of a loud crunch and furious exclamation of:

“Those are Louboutin’s you uncultured swine!”

Alune snorted into her tea as Aphelios gave a quiet sigh, continuing to scroll through his messages as war raged above them in one of Vladimir’s many walk in wardrobes. He leant back with a creak of leather as the sofa beneath him protested at his movement. A nervous looking maid tip-toed her way in, placed a tray of sandwiches on the coffee table, before departing at twice the speed. Aphelios didn’t blame her. Vladimir was a fright before he’d had his first coffee. Ezreal had certainly not helped matters.

“Do you reckon they’ve murdered each other yet?” Alune asked, as the noise upstairs died down. 

“ _Hopefully not,”_ he signed back, _“Or we packed all those bags for nothing.”_

“True,” Alune mused, “And I really did want to get my nails done.”

Needless to say, this was not the first time they’d sat waiting for Aphelios’ bandmates to finish the drama of the day. It was in moments like these, surrounded by luxury that suited a glossy magazine better than their messy lives, that Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder what strange force had led them to this point. If he had been told this is where his life’s orbit would lead him…no. No pre-determined destiny had brought him here. There was nothing spiritual about this mansion, built on pride and excess. The moon had not guided him here. It had started not with some great premonition, but with an instant message. And then three more that had caused his phone to vibrate so hard it had toppled off the table.

**Hey Phel!**

**It’s me, Ez. From school? We had music together like 2 times a week. We wrecked that practice room so bad**

**Are you still crazy good with all those instruments???**

**Wait, you still part of that cult thing?**

Ezreal had indeed been in the same music class as him. Aphelios wanted to remind him that _he_ had not wrecked that practice room so bad. Ezreal had plugged far too many things into the extension cable “for science” and promptly blown the electrics in the entire music department. Aphelios had gone home that day almost in a panic that he would lose his scholarship and get punished by the rest of the Lunari for failing them. However, the school was used to Ezreal’s bullshit by then and he’d received detention, not Aphelios.

He’d replied that yes, he could still play, and no, he was not involved in that ‘cult thing’ anymore. He didn’t want to go into details and thankfully, Ezreal didn’t ask.

**Great!**

**A mate and I want to set up a boyband thing together and we need a number three.**

**And I thought, who’s both super cute and super talented?**

**Why Phel of course!**

**And we worked so well together in class!**

Aphelios didn’t know how to handle either of those compliments so instead replied that it had been five years since they’d seen each other.

**Yeah we should catch up!**

**Coffee?**

**No, ice cream!**

That hadn’t been what he’d meant. He’d attempted to imply that Ezreal would have no idea whether he was cute or talented, considering how long it had been. Also, the only reason they’d so often been paired together in class, was the fact Ezreal was the only other student who knew BSL. However, all that must have gone completely over his head. So instead, Aphelios found himself negotiating a meeting around his work hours and what time he could spare away from Alune. He hated being away from her when he worked, and spending even less time with her seemed blasphemous. However, she did have an hour-long hospital appointment in a fortnight and, well, he wasn’t allowed into those. As long as he got her there in her chair, and was there to pick her up again, the nurses would handle the rest. Parting with her, even for that hour… he hated it. Yet her well-being mattered more than anything he might feel about the proceedings. She was always far more important than anything he had to say. So, he said nothing when the nurses took her away and now, well, at least now he’d have Ezreal as a distraction.

**Hey, what’s your socials?**

**Hit me up with those links!**

Aphelios didn’t have any social media back then. Ezreal acted like this was both a shock and a crime, before barraging him with links to his own online presence. There was a lot. Instagram, Twitter, Patreon, Tumblr… another Instagram? What was “Only-Fans”? Aphelios was about to click on that link when Ezreal messaged him:

**Oh, check out Vlad too. He’s the mate**

**He’s as much of a posh brat as he looks**

**You get used to him**

More links for Aphelios to browse followed. He decided to handle them in chronological order, starting with Ezreal before moving onto his friend. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was agreeing to this. Was he bored? Was he looking for a high school reunion? Had Ezreal just caught him off guard? The last time they’d seen each other, Ezreal had told him he was off to some fancy university to study archaeology. He dreamed of being an explorer like his parents and was forever showing his classmates pictures of rainforests and old ruins he’d read about online. Yet, things didn’t seem to have worked out that way. He was well-travelled. Aphelios could tell by his Instagram alone that Ezreal was getting out and about. But a pool party in Miami and a photoshoot in Prague weren’t exactly the perilous expeditions he’d once anticipated. Aphelios scrolled through images of his ex-classmate dressed as a Star Guardian at some con, wondering how he could possibly have fit in those tight white trousers. He thought maybe velcro before the tone shifted entirely, displaying Ezreal at some moody neon-lit bar, surrounded by ladies in spiked leather. ‘Explorer’ was not the job title Aphelios would give this display of luxury brands and exotic locations. No, Ezreal was most definitely an influencer. Travel seemed to be his thing but… Aphelios clicked on the second Instagram link and almost dropped his phone. The crop of the image meant he didn’t see anything too personal but… Moon forgive him, he had no intention of seeing _that much_ of his former classmate.

He moved swiftly onto Ezreal’s friend.

Vladimir was no better clothed.

No, scratch that.

Vladimir was worse.

The other influencer didn’t bother with two Instagrams. He made it abundantly clear in many photos that the only thing covering him was his long silver hair. According to his social media, he spent his time lounging in the back of sports cars, hanging out in Soho’s most exclusive night clubs and wearing the tiniest designer swimsuits in what could only be his own private pool. Aphelios didn’t know whether he should be embarrassed, ill, or repulsed at the sight of such wealth. Ezreal thought he could fit in them? Didn’t he remember that Aphelios was a scholarship student? What about the second hand uniform? The free school lunches? He and Alune weren’t on the poverty line exactly, but it was hard to scrape by with his meagre wages and her disability allowance. Being a virtual assistant meant he could work from home, be there for Alune, and his work wasn’t impacted by his lack of voice. Still, the pay wasn’t great. He’d never been in a sports car, or a night club, or wore Branded clothing. He didn’t belong to their world. What was Ezreal thinking?

He still agreed to meet, with the intention of letting Ezreal know how much of a mistake this was. So, he hugged Alune goodbye at the hospital and caught a bus back into town. Ezreal was already waiting for him in Creams with two enormous sundaes. He was easily spotted at a far table. After perusing so much of his social media, that mop of blond hair was a beacon in the dark dessert parlour – a venue that reminded Aphelios more of a club than a café.

“Phel!” Ezreal exclaimed, leaping up from his table, rattling the glassware, “Oh my god, you grew up hot!”

He was attracting a lot of attention from surrounding tables. Aphelios tried to shy away from curious glances as he offered Ezreal his hand to shake before signing:

_“Hi. You look like your photos.”_

Ezreal was too busy getting an eyeful. Aphelios suddenly felt very underdressed in his roll neck sweater and skinny jeans, despite the fact he was covered from the neck down. Ezreal was dressed like he’d just stepped off a runway – a pristine white blazer over the top of a fine purple shirt and tie with matching chinos. His shoes were so shiny they reflected the neon lighting off the walls. He took one last look at Aphelios’ ass, making him wonder if he’d sat on gum, before saying:

“Please sit, treat’s on me.”

Aphelios sat. He took a deep breath and prepared to sign his objections to Ezreal’s entire boyband idea.

“So, how’ve you been?” Ezreal began. They made small talk for a bit, Aphelios ready to decline at any moment, ready to persuade, ready to do anything to convince Ezreal that he wasn’t sexy boyband material. But he had to admit, it was sort of nice. Nice to be out and about. Nice to be able to talk to someone who wasn’t Alune. They chatted about school, about their lives since then. Aphelios doubted whether Ezreal was actually interested in his trips to the park with Alune. The fact she was trying to get grants for online study. The neighbourhood cat who liked to come visit occasionally. He made all the right gestures , encouraged him to elaborate, asked relevant questions, but… His life was so much more interesting. He was a model and a star. He’d been all over the world with his family’s money and turned it into a career. Aphelios was very boring compared to that.

“Getting down to business,” Ezreal finally announced, “Vlad and I were thinking of trying to jam at his house, you know, to see if we’re all a good fit for each other. Spend a long weekend trying to work out what our sound is, you know?”

Now was his chance.

 _“I can’t,”_ he signed.

“Why not?”

_“I have to be there for Alune.”_

“Oh, just bring her too! She can have a holiday! Vlad’s got his own personal stylist, masseuse, nail technician, the works, she can get pampered!”

_“I’m not sure we can afford to travel that far, or take time off work.”_

“No sweat, we’ll cover you. Travel and time off work. No need to bring any instruments, we’ve got you covered.”

Aphelios was swiftly running out of feasible excuses that weren’t ‘you two are far too wealthy’. If he could bring Alune with him, and they were going to pay for everything… When was the last time he and Alune had gone away together? Probably back when they were children, and that was just to the coast for a prayer session. They’d never really gone away just to enjoy where they were. Who was he to deny Alune the chance to have fun?

 _“Are you sure Vladimir will be fine with Alune coming too?”_ he asked.

“He’ll be fine,” Ezreal waved one hand dismissively, “He wants this to work as much as I do. So, you’ll come right? It’ll be a blast!”

He stared at his ice cream sundae for a moment. The gold sprinkles, dark chocolate sauce and rainbow of different flavours promised a sort of luxury they’d never experience otherwise. What sort of brother would he be if he couldn’t give Alune something nice every now and again? And if it meant playing music for crazy rich people, well, that was something he could do.

He agreed.

It would be fine! He told himself as the date drew nearer. Just fine. So fine! He was sure of it!

“Are you sure?” Alune asked as they settled into first-class, the train whirring and preparing to depart around them.

“ _No,”_ Aphelios confessed. He had met with Ezreal twice after their reunion over ice cream. On the third occasion, he’d introduced him to Alune, who’d instantly done her best to make sure he and the influencer stayed in touch. She’d drawn up an itinerary for their trip before the date had even been announced. She’d looked at all the links Aphelios had forwarded to her, and found the ones he’d neglected to regardless. She didn’t seem put off by the luxury, the glamour, or even the sexual content. She just kept telling him she was proud that he’d gone out of his comfort zone in meeting Ezreal in the first place. She called it progress. Progress towards what though?

“Well, it won’t hurt to try,” Alune assured him, taking his hand in hers, “And I’ll be with you every step of the way. Who knows? You might make some friends today.”

It seemed he’d already won Ezreal’s favour, but he wasn’t entirely sure whether that made them friends. Even at school, they’d only really met for music class. He had his own social circle and Aphelios, well, he wasn’t supposed to get involved with the other children. Nothing was supposed to distract him from his faith. Friends would just get in the way of being the best asset to the Lunari he could possibly be. And even after the coach incident… well, after that he was only one Alune had.

Without her optimism, Aphelios would have turned around and gone home the moment a limousine pulled up outside the station. As soon as the driver got out and lowered a ramp to the pavement, they realised it was for them.

“It’s like being a celebrity!” Alune giggled as they were driven off in style. Aphelios merely nodded. Ezreal and Vladimir were definitely celebrities, of a sort. And they hadn’t been anything but generous. So why he was he concerned? Were they being _too_ generous? They weren’t getting kidnapped into some weird social media fuelled sex club, were they? No. No that was ridiculous… But the concern was there.

Vladimir’s ‘house’ was a three-storey modern mansion set in its own grounds, complete with obvious pool, stables and tennis courts. Alune was glued to the window as they progressed down a white gravel drive, lined with tall firs and stone statues, all grand, all nude. They pulled up beside an enormous fountain, ringed with trellises so that the petals of the crimson roses cascaded with its waters. Two burly men in dark red uniforms lifted their cases out the boot, whilst Aphelios helped Alune back into her chair. He couldn’t help but pick up on the red accents everywhere as they were led into a cavernous entry hall. They were greeted with white marble, veined with pink and gold, and yet another fountain – this one running down the wall opposite the front doors. Behind the curtain of water was a glass-covered oil painting of a young man in a red silk robe. He was posed elegantly on a chaise longue, large wine glass in one hand, the face of an adoring young woman in the other.

“That’s him, isn’t it?” Alune commented, “What’s he trying to be? The hero of an erotic vampire novel?”

 _“Does all the red make you think of blood?”_ Aphelios asked her. Who commissioned full length oil paintings of themselves in the twenty-first century?

“A bit yeah,” Alune agreed, “I’m starting to wonder if this guy has too much money.”

“It’s a lot, isn’t it?” came a familiar voice from nearby doorway. Aphelios turned to see Ezreal emerging from a side-passage, towelling his hair dry as he brought the smell of chlorine into the hall with him. This place must have an indoor pool as well for there was no way he could get from the grounds to here so quickly. He’d neglected to button up his shirt after changing from the pool, but this didn’t seem to bother him. Ezreal led them towards a nearby lift that Aphelios hadn’t realised was there until the white wall parted to expose an exterior panelled with red upholstery. All this white with red contrast must be a nightmare to clean, he thought. Then remembered who he was dealing with and that he probably had an army of staff.

“Vlad’s upstairs in his office,” Ezreal explained, “Told me to come find him once you’d got here. How was the journey over?”

They made small talk as Ezreal led them through the house with a familiarity of one who’d negotiated this opulent labyrinth many times before. The white marble seemed confined only to the lobby. Up on the third floor everything was panelled in dark wood with antique gold fittings and plenty more red. Alune sensed his growing unease the closer they got to the study. He had been right. This was another world entirely. He wasn’t going to know how to handle himself here. He wasn’t going to be prepared. What if something happened to them? What if something happened to Alune and he wasn’t able to protect- 

“ _It’ll be ok,”_ she signed to him, _“I don’t think he’s actually a vampire.”_

Ezreal snorted.

“Vlad’s harmless,” he said, “He’s an alright guy once you get past the ego. There is a lot of ego mind you.”

They approached a wide set of double doors in which had been ornately carved two ravens sitting above each of the door handles. The ravens were made of a black wood and trimmed in silver, quite unlike the usual gold and scarlet of their surroundings. Older perhaps? Aphelios stared at them a moment, before Ezreal pushed the doors open declaring:

“Put some pants on Vlad, we’ve got company!”

They were met with a wide semi-circular room that was mostly window on one side. The space was filled with plush sofas, armchairs, and half a dozen chaise longue. Glass cabinets stood at intervals throughout the room, humming with refrigeration as they chilled a selection of fancy looking bottles. Aphelios didn’t know the first thing about alcohol, but he assumed the prettier the bottle, the more expensive it was. At the far end of the room, silhouetted against the sunlight streaming in through the curved glass, was a slender figure in a long red dressing gown. He turned, hair swishing about him like a shimmering cape. Leaning back on his desk, he surveyed them all with amusement in his gaze. Aphelios noted his long silver nails, far too long to be natural, spread possessively over the woodwork. Of course, he recognised Vladimir from his Instagram but the man’s physical presence was…something else.

The manor’s owner approached them with a click of heels and an impatient air. Ezreal, who once again seemed utterly unphased by his surroundings, bounded forwards to make introductions. Contrary to his greeting, Vladimir was in fact wearing trousers, and presumably pants underneath. Though the tight mahogany-coloured leather did leave that up to debate. Seriously how did anyone get anything that tight onto their-

“Checking out my finery, are you?” drawled Vladimir, before Ezreal could start speaking. Aphelios stood up a little straighter, heat rising to his cheeks

 _“No, I was looking at that cabinet,”_ he signed hastily. Vladimir raised an eyebrow at him, then glanced at Ezreal.

“Is that sign language?” he asked.

Ezreal sighed.

“I told you, Phel’s not a talker,” he said, “Sweet musician though. He says he was looking at your cabinets by the way.”

“Oh, but that’s what _I_ was talking about,” Vladimir continued, tone sly as he turned his attention back to Aphelios “I do have some wonders in my drawers.”

Alune huffed as Aphelios wondering why he felt so warm all of a sudden. It was true, there was probably some really valuable alcohol in those cabinets, but the way Vladimir was talking… No, they were talking about cabinets, right? Why did everything that came out of Vladimir’s mouth sound like it had two meanings?

Vladimir stepped a little closer, skirting a low leather stool to approach his guests.

“Ez, you said we were expecting twins, but you didn’t tell me they’d both be so _delicious_. It’s been a while since I’ve had twins round for dinner.”

Ezreal finally took his opportunity to speak.

“Well, yes. Vlad, meet Aphelios and Alune. Aphelios is that school mate I mentioned. Really talented musician, and as you can see, cute A.F. Though the baggy look maybe not his finest.”

Aphelios looked at his coat and jeans. These were his clothes? Ezreal had liked the sweater and the skinny jeans, how were these any different?

“And this is Alune, the big sis. You don’t get one without the other so she’s here for some R&R whilst we show Phel the ropes.”

“Ah yes, the ropes,” Vladimir agreed, with a smile.

Ezreal slapped his hand to his forehead.

“You know what I mean. Just… try and make them feel welcome. I know Phel is going to be perfect for this, don’t ruin our chance!”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Vladimir replied, stepping even closer, “Aesthetic is just as important as the music after all. I need a closer look at our partner to be.”

He was now so close he had activated Aphelios’ fight or flight response. One more move from Vladimir, he was picking Alune out of her chair and hightailing it out of there. If he could get his feet to cooperate!

His eyes widened as he felt long silver nails brush against the tattoo on his chin.

“Mm, I love the ink darling, goes perfectly with that virgin blush and the look of terror in your eyes.”

“Alright!” Alune proclaimed, rocking her chair a little in her effort to push the man off her brother, “Back off you shady fuck!”

The physical exertion clearly took a lot out of her for she was forced to slump back in her chair as she said:

“Phel, this guy’s a creep. I’ve changed my mind. We’re getting back in that limo and- “

“No, please!” Ezreal exclaimed, leaping forward to barge between Vladimir and Aphelios. He stuck a finger in Vladimir’s face as Aphelios backed away into the nearest sofa.

“Do. Not. Mess. This. Up.” Ezreal ordered through gritted teeth, waving his finger in Vladimir’s face, “Do you want to be bored? You want this band gig as much as I do and I am telling you, we need Phel on our side. Yes, he’s a bit more…vanilla, than we’re used to. But we need that balance. We need his talent. We need him. So just…keep it in your pants around Phel. He’s not some lovestruck fan, he’s an equal, alright. Band members are equals remember?”

There was a moment of silence in which Ezreal and Vladimir stared at each other, straight in the eyes. Aphelios glanced at Alune, who still looked livid. Was now a good time to make a run for it? He’d been right, this whole thing was a mistake. He’d been lured in with generosity and first-class train travel and now he had no idea what to make of the situation. They should just go.

“Oh, fine then,” Vladimir sighed. He pushed past Ezreal and began to approach the twins again. Aphelios was ready to leap the sofa behind him, but this time, Vladimir addressed Alune.

“My apologies my lady,” he said, with a deep bow that had them both staring, “I was fresh off of work and I seem to have got stuck in my…performance persona. You are aware of my work I assume?”

“Yes,” Alune said, her tone suspicious as she glared up at him.

“Well,” Vladimir mused, throwing up one hand as he took another step forward. Aphelios tensed, drawing closer to Alune’s chair, his heart pounding as he prepared for fight or flight.

“Sometimes, I just get too into the part,” Vladimir continued, “My mistake, happens all the time.”

Alune didn’t look impressed.

“What part was that?” she retorted, “Twink Dracula?”

Ezreal sniggered. There was a moment of quiet before Vladimir burst out laughing. The noise only made Aphelios even more ready to go. Whether it be out the door or at Vladimir fists raised.

“Oh my, I love this one! And I’ve completely forgotten my manners! I’m unaccustomed to having such charming and beautiful ladies in my house without getting to know them a little more… intimately first. I have a rather grand-”

“No,” Alune stated.

Vladimir raised an eyebrow at her, as if shocked she’d dare interrupt.

“What was that darling?”

“I said no,” Alune said tersely, clearly uncomfortable now.

“Oh, but I haven’t even shown you my- “

“Sh-she said no!”

SLAP!

Voice cracking from disuse, Aphelios nevertheless felt the sound welling up in him as he acted on pure instinct. He darted forward; hand drawn back above his head before bringing it down on the lecherous grin this man _dared_ use around his sister. Vladimir recoiled, clutching at his face. His expression was momentarily one of stunned shock, before he took a step back, regaining his composure with a flick of his hair. There was a definite pink mark on his cheek as he stated

“My, my, a little harder and I-“

WHAM.

“You know,” said Ezreal, “If I knew punching him in the balls was the way to get him to respect me, I would have done it myself when we first met.”

 _“I can do it again if you’d like,”_ Aphelios signed back, before picking up tea again.

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary,” Ezreal chuckled, “But man, you _spoke_.”

Aphelios merely nodded. The few times he’d spoken since the coach incident, they’d always been under bad circumstances. It was painful to think about, and not something he liked to discuss, even with Alune. Yet the desire to protect his sister was surely one of his strongest feelings of all, if not _the_ most powerful. Caring for Alune was his purpose in life. It always was and it always would be. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise then that the emotion was so strong it had got him talking, if only for a second. In that moment he’d felt more than he’d done in years. First the fear, then the confusion, then the pure blinding rage as the fight impulse finally conquered flight and well… Vladimir didn’t look quite as elegant with a large bag of ice on his crotch. 

And yet the feelings parade hadn’t stopped there. It would later come back with a vengeance. Once Vladimir had stopped rolling around on the hardwood flooring, he’d got up, brushed himself off, and declared that they needed to go to the studio right this second. Well, after he’d called for some ice. Both Aphelios and Alune had put up some resistance to this idea, but Ezreal had promised Alune he’d protect Aphelios with his life whilst she went and rested up from the stress of the encounter. Aphelios insisted on going back to their room with her to make sure it was safe. But, upon finding out that not only was it safe, but they’d been provided with far better facilities than they had at home, he let Alune get some peace and quiet and followed Ezreal back upstairs.

Being pounded in the crotch had changed Vladimir’s attitude towards Aphelios completely. The predatory air was gone, though he’d toned it down to what Ezreal called the ‘usual level of flirtation’. He’d evidently realised that Aphelios wasn’t someone to be trifled with and neither twin would put up with his behaviour. This was further cemented by Ezreal loudly recounting the time he’d seen Aphelios nail a bully in the back of the head with a tennis ball. Hopefully intimidated by Aphelios’ impressive aim, Vladimir no longer sought to get up close and personal. He was still a show off, but when they got into his state-of-the-art music studio, showing off was really what they’d come there to achieve.

“Alright Ez, I’ll hand it to you,” Vladimir sighed, leaning back against the padded wall, “Your little friend has some quite considerable talent.”

Aphelios was a little rusty. However, music had always been something he’d been allowed. Something he was permitted to embrace whole-heartedly when he was younger and he had done so with all the fervour of his faith. No matter how many years had passed, it appeared muscle memory had not abandoned him. He plucked chords out of a blood-red electric guitar, though the one he borrowed at school had certainly been acoustic. The keyboard had more buttons and dials than he remembered but it functioned the same. Vladimir didn’t have a violin, but apparently that wasn’t the sound they wanted. Instead, his host opted to lounge on top of the piano as Aphelios played a piece from his Grade Eight music exams. Nothing he played could be considered pop, but he couldn’t help but feel a little glad that he hadn’t lost his ability.

“I told you!” Ezreal said, picking up an electric bass, this guitar bright gold, “He’s perfect!”

“ _I wouldn’t say perfect,”_ Aphelios objected, “ _I’ve never played a pop song.”_

“No, you’re perfect,” Ezreal insisted, “A diamond in the rough maybe, a hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered, but you’re perfect all the same.”

Aphelios had no idea how to reply to that. He didn’t really believe it but it looked like they were happy with him at least.

“Do you want to hear some of the songs Vlad had written?” Ezreal offered, “Not sure we’ve got song writing down yet, so he commissioned us some material to work with. None of it sounds right without a third musician, but you’ll get the gist.”

They played five songs that Aphelios could only describe as ‘playful’ or ‘alluring’. He felt like he was missing some meaning here and there. He wasn’t sure why some lines required hip action whilst others didn’t, but Vladimir and Ezreal certainly looked like they were having fun. They were right, they were missing a third instrument, or even a second instrument for two songs, when Vladimir took the mic but left his guitar behind. Each piece sounded jarringly incomplete. After they’d finished their recital, Aphelios asked Ezreal whether he might see the sheet music, and then got him to ask Vladimir for his guitar. It took a few tries, and a little adjustment for tempo, but he soon glided his way through the notes put before him.

“Yes! Yes!” Vladimir exclaimed, “Darling give me my mic!”

“Not your darling,” Ezreal replied, “But here’s your mic.”

“Carry on!”

Aphelios continued playing as Ezreal picked up the bass line. They went through the song once before Vladimir added the vocals. It sounded significantly better. A whole song rather than only two thirds.

“We are going to be so hot!” Ezreal exclaimed as soon as they done, “Alright, selfie time! Bring it in guys!”

Alune still had that selfie has the desktop background on her laptop. Apparently his faintly bemused expression, next to Vladimir’s pout and Ezreal’s tongue sticking out, was extremely adorable in a way no loving sister could refuse. They played those five songs for the rest of the afternoon, Aphelios switching between keyboard and guitar depending on the piece. By the time Alune called to check up on him, Aphelios had begun to realise that maybe, just maybe, he was having fun. It was so different to anything he’d done recently, or ever really. It had been a while since he’d played. Such a long time since he’d felt good at what he was doing. So little came naturally to him that the ease at which he contributed to the music was… exciting. He wasn’t sure it should be. Yet, when Vladimir had a member of his staff help Alune to the studio, she’d almost cried in joy at the sight of her brother performing.

“You’re such a natural!” she exclaimed, ushering him in for a hug, “Oh, I almost saw you smile!”

Two days later, after a lengthy lunch, he tried to convince himself that is was her enthusiasm, not any sort of selfish excitement of his own, that had him finally agree to be part of _Uninhibited._ He and Alune had raised eyebrows at the name but Ezreal had explained it to them.

“It’s about being your best self. Destroying those inhibitors, letting loose, having fun! We’re going to show the world what we’re made of, and bring our fans along for a good time. Passionate, unashamed, uninhibited!

Aphelios certainly liked the idea of that. He wasn’t sure whether he had a best self, or the ability to ‘let loose’. However, Alune reminded him that he’d definitely let loose on Vladimir the other day and hadn’t he had fun in that practice room? She was right, of course. Playing music, being around others, occasionally getting told he was good at something… He’d never been complimented so much in a short space of time and now the thought of never being praised again… There was a space inside him he’d never noticed until now. A space that desperately wanted to be filled with positive reinforcement. Was that wrong of him?

“Oh Aphelios,” Alune sighed, when he tried to explain this to her, “You deserve every good thing that crosses your orbit. To want compliments is only human, there’s nothing wrong with you.”

He stared at her for a moment, unsure how to reply. She booped him on the nose. Making him blink in surprise as she smiled back at him.

“I had my reservations,” Alune continued, “About certain people. But I think this will really be good for you. And if in doubt, I have a plan.”

She switched seamlessly into sign language, eying Ezreal and Vlad who were checking their social media on a neighbouring sofa.

 _“Ezreal sent us money to cover your time off work,”_ she explained, _“But it’s five times the amount we told him.”_

 _“What?”_ Aphelios signed back.

 _“I know,”_ she replied, _“I talked to him about it but he didn’t want it back. I’m not turning down free money.”_

He wondered if she was thinking what he was. Was it finally enough to get the shower fixed?

 _“So, if you’ll help me,”_ Alune explained, _“I’m going down to the toy store, getting us one of those big water guns with the pump.”_

Err, what? They evidently weren’t thinking on the same lines.

“ _And if he dares touch you_ ,” Alune continued, her smile becoming devious, “ _I’m soaking those moon-forsaken designer labels with bargain bin apple juice.”_

She waited for his reaction, when he didn’t reply she continued

_“You reckon we can make a holster for my chair? That way you can grab it when you need it too. With your aim you could wreck him.”_

That, well, that was certainly one idea. They did indeed buy the water gun with Ezreal’s money, and Alune researched the cheapest source of apple juice they could find locally. He also made her a holster they could strap to the arm of her chair. However, thankfully, she never had to use her brilliant plan. Vladimir didn’t flirt with either of them after that first encounter. In fact, he was very polite around Alune whenever they met. Aphelios suspected that something had gone on between Ezreal and Vladimir once they’d left the mansion. One week later, Ezreal had messaged him out the blue telling him that Vladimir wasn’t going to be a problem again and he couldn’t wait until next time they met.

The influencers continued to be very generous with their money. Even when Aphelios asked, time after time what he should be doing in return, they both refused any trade or assistance. Apparently, his contribution to the band was worth any expense. His time was their investment. They covered all his travel, his time off work in excess, and they always made sure Alune could be included in whatever they did. It was almost too good to be true. Aphelios couldn’t believe he was worth such effort, but the income transformed their lives. No longer were they scraping by. The extra money not only fixed their shower, but They turned the heating on for the first time in ages.

“Sometimes I feel like we’re sponging off them,” Alune confessed one night, “They don’t have to give us _this_ much. I don’t want to be a charity.”

Aphelios agreed whole-heartedly. Any protests fell short though. Ezreal sent them a heartfelt email about how his parents would’ve wanted him to make friends and support them through tough times. Vladimir just stated it was pocket change really and not to get so sentimental about it. Aphelios didn’t feel comfortable mentioning it again after that, so didn’t. He carried on practicing, travelling, being the best asset he could to _Uninhibited_ , if only to earn his keep.

Vladimir hadn’t been exaggerating when he said their aesthetic was going to be as important as their music. Their first photoshoot was thankfully the simplest. In anticipation of their first single releasing, they focussed on looking like a boyband. Aphelios conceded to the other’s expertise on boyband aesthetic, too distracted by the miraculous package that had appeared in the post shortly before the day of shoot

“Phel, you don’t have to hold it twenty-four seven,” Ezreal chuckled, smiling at him with understanding in his eyes.

It was a guitar. An electric guitar, deep purple with golden strings and intricate silver detailing on the woodwork. He’d never held something so beautiful, let alone _owned_ it. Could they blame him for being unable to put it down? He couldn’t help but wonder if it would vanish completely if he left it out of sight. Like the instrument was some sort of luxury induced fever dream. Only when he had his hands on it could he believe it was solid, that was real.

“ _It’s mine?”_ he signed for the third time that morning.

“ _Yes, all yours_ ,” Ezreal signed back, “ _Custom job, we can’t send it back even if we wanted to_.”

His guitar. His own guitar. Made for him. It even had his name on the back! He turned round to show it to Alune again before remembering that she was having her hair and make up done by the team brought in to do theirs. She wasn’t going to be in the photoshoot, but they didn’t want her feeling left out. Besides, she had seen the guitar when it had arrived. She’d seen the guitar when Aphelios polished it for the umpteenth time and she’d certainly seen the guitar when it shared a seat with them in the limo.

“Come on sweetheart,” Vladimir drawled from where two stylists were straightening his hair to perfection, “You can make out with the instrument later. It’s time to polish that diamond.”

Being styled and made-up was odd, but not as unpleasant as he’d anticipated. He really wasn’t used to such attention but luckily the artists about him were patient, explaining what every brush and product was before it was applied to his hair or face. By the time he was done, he felt like he was looking at a new man. He couldn’t help but stare at his own face, wondering how they’d made eyes so, well, pretty. He was realising how much prep Vladimir and Ezreal must go through every time they did one of their Instagram features. They went through multiple outfits, multiple looks, in one location. Did they have to paint themselves between every photo?

Fortunately for him, they were only wearing the one set of outfits today. Tight black leather trousers and white waistcoats, over coloured shirts – red for Vladimir, blue for Ezreal and purple for Aphelios. The waistcoats weren’t quite identical. They were the same colour and material, but each had been embellished to suit the wearer. Aphelios looked at his matching scarf and the waistcoat’s silver detailing, wondering who designed these and how they knew his exact dimensions. Had someone measured him when he wasn’t looking? The mystery of how you got into tight trousers was solved by the presence of multiple small zippers. Aphelios turned this way and that in the mirror as Ezreal adjusted his goggles so they sat perfectly amidst his cloud of hairspray.

“Fuck me,” he declared, glancing back at Aphelios, “What I wouldn’t give for legs like those. And that ass! You’re going to make men swoon over you Phel!”

Aphelios wondered if all the make-up he was wearing covered up his blush. Hopefully it did. Part of him didn’t mind the idea of men swooning, but, no, he shouldn’t be so immodest. He did like the photoshoot though. He liked the nice make-up ladies. He liked the attention of the photographers. He liked holding his new guitar and posing for the camera. He liked playing a bit and hearing the style team whoop in appreciation. The ‘behind-the-scenes’ shots where he pretended to do Ezreal’s eyeliner were fun. Also, the photo where they pretended to steal Vladimir’s shoes. Then the part where they did actually steal Vladimir’s shoes. Vladimir then stole his precious guitar, prompting a chase throughout the studio. He finished the session feeling sweaty, exhausted, but somehow exhilarated. 

“Did you have fun?” Alune asked on the trip home.

Aphelios wasn’t sure how to answer her.

“You’re allowed to enjoy yourself, you know,” Alune told him as she admired her newly painted nails – pastel blue with silver at the tip.

 _“I’m not being selfish?_ ” he asked her.

Alune took a moment, let out a very deep sigh, before reaching forward to gently take hold of his face.

“Brother.”

Her tone was incredibly serious.

His lips moved soundlessly, but she recognised her name.

“Brother, I know what you’ve been through and I know how you think. I understand that there is so little room in your heart left for yourself. It’s hard to believe I know, but we are free Brother. Free to live as we will. Free to be happy. That’s all I want, for you to be happy. And if this makes you happy, then let it. You’ve had a chance so few will ever receive and it pains me to watch you hold back. Let yourself be happy Brother, please.”

Aphelios watched her for a moment, before replying:

_“I’m happy if you’re happy.”_

“I am, Phel,” she assured him, stroking his cheek. He unconsciously leaned into the touch.

“You make me so happy. But you need to learn to make yourself happy too. Enjoy things for your own sake. Promise me. Promise me you’ll at least try?”

He promised. And he tried. He let himself relax into his new role as band-member. He put in the effort and found himself rewarded not only with praise but with the feeling of having fun. He attempted to live up to their name and push past his inhibitions. The success of their first album only served to bolster his confidence. Their first single “Chase Me” entered the charts, born aloft by Vladimir and Ezreal’s army of fans. Yet even they realised there was a third member of Uninhibited. A member they couldn’t hunt down on social media. Sure, he appeared on the band’s official pages, but fans wanted more. Much more than a member who only appeared in the corners of their favourite’s posts, and in the occasional selfie. It was with the release of their first album therefore that Aphelios took the plunge. He signed up for Instagram, then Twitter, starting with some of the individual shots from that first photoshoot. Then some of the backstage photos taken at their live performances. The first few hadn’t been too bad. They’d been online streams; the audience was invisible so all he’d really had to do was play whilst the other two showed off for the camera. Then, when the likes, the comments, the followers, the retweets, came raining in he realised that people actually wanted him there. They weren’t just watching for Vladimir and Ezreal. They wanted to see more of him.

They liked him.

People liked him.

They did a live performance in a night club he’d once seen on Vladimir’s Instagram. After switching to guitar, he was forced to the front of the stage, no longer able to hide behind his keyboard. Heart racing, he looked at the enraptured crowd, a lump forming in this throat as he saw what effect their music was having. People had come out to have a good time and they were helping with that. They were making people happy, making them lose their inhibitions and let go. It worked!

A young woman and her much larger older male friend (boyfriend? Brother?) had pushed their way to the front of the crowd. She was jumping up and down in excitement and waving at him as he played his way through “Love Me When I’m Sober”. He summoned the courage and gave her a small smile. She made a noise that didn’t sound human and promptly collapsed onto her friend. Aphelios looked at the pair, smile fading into shock and the guy just laughed. He mouthed that she’d be fine before hoisting her up over one of his broad shoulders in a fireman’s lift. Aphelios made to apologise, but the man just blew him a kiss and carried his friend back towards the bar. Blushing, Aphelios carried on hoping no one else had noticed. He hoped in vain.

“Oh, you ladykiller you,” Vladimir commented after the show was done, “That poor damsel, you beast.”

 _“I didn’t mean to!”_ Aphelios signed back.

“He didn’t mean to,” Ezreal translated before turning back to him, “He’s just teasing Phel. It’s great that you’re working on your stage presence! Keep interacting with the audience, they love it.”

“I personally think it’s time for a masterclass,” Vladimir got up out of his chair, “You. Me. You can come if you must Ez.”

“Thanks,” said Ezreal.

“I’ve suffered too long,” Vladimir continued, “I’ve starved in the company of one with who doesn’t know how to use his greatest assets! You have a figure so worth tasting, it’s gourmet! Why can’t you use it?!”

Aphelios glanced at Ezreal.

“He wants to teach you sex appeal,” Ezreal translated.

Learning sex appeal was intense, but Aphelios couldn’t stop thinking of the muscular man at the bar. Whilst his bandmates had noticed the woman, it seemed the kiss had gone under their radar. Apparently having the attention of giggling ladies was par for the course, but giggling ladies weren’t really his, well, area. Maybe if he learned what Vladimir had to teach him then he’d grab the attention of more guys like that one? Not that he needed the attention but…well, wasn’t he supposed to be doing what made him happy? And being smiled at by a handsome burly man in a V-neck tank, a man so strong he could pick him up and throw him bodily over his shoulder… He tried not to think about it too much at home. Not when he shared a bedroom with Alune anyway.

They wouldn’t be sharing for much longer. Halfway through his sex appeal training, he received his first paycheck for the new album. He was in the middle of being taught how to strut when suddenly his phone went off in his back pocket. He stopped Vladimir mid-instruction by raising a hand before hurrying off to a nearby bench to answer it. It was Alune, on video call. He immediately placed the phone on the bench beside him and knelt on the floor so she could see his face and hands.

“Aphelios, have you checked our bank account lately?”

He shook his head.

“You really should, I think there’s been some sort of mistake on your friend’s side. There’s a, well, see for yourself.”

 _“Call you back?”_ he asked her. She nodded and hung up.

He logged into his online banking and promptly dropped his phone.

“What’s the matter?” called Vladimir, striding over to see what the fuss was about. Aphelios showed him the account balance on his phone.

“Oh, that’s your third of sales from “Chase Me”,” Vladimir stated, “And you know, the rest of the album, and all the merch we’ve sold.”

Aphelios fumbled for his text to speech app.

“That’s all from one album?” said the robotic voice, unable to express the shock that was coursing through his system.

“And the merch,” Vladimir corrected him, “You should see how some of the glossy prints came out, they’re divine. We’re expecting even more once the band’s fanbase grows.”

“More?”

“I know, it’s a paltry sum, but I promise, with my connections we’re going to go far.”

It was not a paltry sum. It was more money than Aphelios had ever seen in his life. He phoned Alune back to explain the situation. She couldn’t believe it either. It was more money than they’d ever owned in their lives. It was so much, too much, and there was going to be more of it?! He could barely concentrate on the rest of the lesson. Vladimir’s catwalk seemed inconsequential compared to what had just been deposited into their bank account. This wasn’t just money. This was life-changing! He could give Alune everything she deserved. He could make her life so much better, so much easier, now he had the means to do so!

His first big purchase, the biggest of his life so far, was an electric powerchair. He didn’t tell Alune where they were going until they got out of the taxi in front of the mobility aid store. He had emailed ahead to let the shop know they were coming and they were ready with all sorts of chairs for her to try. Alune couldn’t stop crying throughout the whole process, she wanted to hug him at every given moment and the shop assistants wouldn’t stop commenting how sweet they were. If Aphelios could cry, he surely would have at his sister’s joy. It made everything worth it. The fear before every performance. Everything he’d had to learn. The anxiety at being surrounded by two rich men who regarded luxury as an everyday occurrence. Every step out of his comfort zone had led to this moment and the result could not be better. He wasn’t just giving Alune a better chair, he was helping her get her freedom back. Not since the coach incident had she been able to go somewhere by herself. She was too easily exhausted to push her chair alone; he’d always been there and never complained. But now, at the touch of a stick, she was the master of her own path. She could go to the shops, catch a bus, go wherever she wanted on her own whim. Not only that, the chair they bought could rise and fall at the press of a button. She could reach the kitchen counters of their council flat. They could cook together now! She could look him in the eye if she wanted, without him crouching down. The chair tilted too, making it easier for her to get in and out of bed, in and out of a bathtub if they ever got one. She cried and hugged him all the way home. The chair would be delivered to them in a matter of days and they both couldn’t wait.

“I love you Phel, I love you so much, you’re-you’re the best…the most selfless.. I love you so much!”

“Love y-you t-too sis.”

The sound of his voice, faint but just about audible, only made her cry harder. It was the first time he’d been able to speak because of something positive. He’d been a good brother for her. He’d actually managed to make her life better. The feelings were just too much. The words slipped out.

In a way, her freedom made their parting less painful when he had to go perform with the band. She still came to most of their practices and shoots, but over time, as she gained confidence in her mobility, she began to follow her own dreams. She started to attend adult education classes, studying for the A-levels she’d never been able to take. This allowed him to be driven hither and thither. As they gained popularity, the performances increased, as did the surrounding press. He went to interviews, with Ezreal as his translator, though he never contributed much even when he had the option. He answered questions when asked directly, but he let the others take the limelight, feeling like they were better prepared for this than he was. It was still hard to believe anyone wanted to know what he thought. He’d come to terms with the fact that people liked to look at him, social media had proved that in abundance. But that didn’t mean his opinion mattered.

They did a lot of photoshoots. Vladimir’s ‘how to be sexy’ lessons seemed to be paying off. He’d learned how to pout. How to look down the lens of a camera. How to turn on the spot to give an audience the best silhouette. How to walk in heels. (Though according to Vladimir he was only getting kitten-heels because he was already too tall.) He’d discovered a world of camera filters and photography tricks on how to get the best shots, selfie or otherwise. Every lesson came with advice on how to look attractive, but also endearing. They’d fallen neatly into three categories. Vladimir was the smooth and elegant one. Ezreal was the cocky yet charming rogue. Aphelios was the bashful and sensitive type. They were all supposed to be alluring in some way. The fans had decided their categories not them, but it worked wonders. Alune insisted that she’d always known her brother was adorable and now she had proof. 

Their photoshoots were certainly, interesting. After establishing their boyband look, they moved onto suits, each tailored to their exact measurements. The photoshoot took place in a fancy bar, where they posed on high stools and around the pool table, and more buttons were undone throughout the shoot. The next was streetwear and for some reason that meant they had to go to Paris. Alune had been there for that one and they’d spent a wonderful afternoon together as tourists before being whisked back on the Eurostar. Exhausted by such a busy day, he’d fallen asleep before they’d even left France. Seeing her opportunity, Alune got hold of his phone and filled his Instagram with photos of his snoozing face. His fans, fortunately, loved it.

Their first album was a great success. More shows and more photoshoots meant more money. Aphelios finally looked up their considerable merch page and discovered they were selling everything from high-quality prints of their shoot photos to t-shirts and underwear with the Uninhibited logo on. He asked Alune why so many people were buying these things. They were not cheap and some of the photos were absolutely huge.

“You guys got popular really fast,” she told him, “Probably because Ez and Vladimir dropped their influencer thing and went straight into this band. They both already had a big following and combined the two.”

That made sense. Ezreal and Vladimir liked to boast to the other when their pictures had outsold the other’s. Aphelios hadn’t checked the statistics, but they clearly did, announcing their arrival into the studio with phrases like “Guess who’s selling best darlings!” or “Read it and weep boys!” Considering one of them was always declaring their popularity, Aphelios assumed he was never selling best, or much at all really. The other’s photos were always selling out and needing to be restocked, and he’d sold out of one, maybe two, of their original shoot. But that was fine. He wasn’t there to be the most popular or have the most fans. Even being on equal footing would be impossible when it came to those two. Their fame had built this band after all and he just happy it enabled him to give Alune the best he could. Nothing mattered apart from that. He could sit silent whilst they charmed their way through an interview. He could watch their photos sell out in an hour whilst his went on sale. As long as Alune was happy, all was well.

After performing at a corporate gig for Halloween, he put down the deposit on a two-bedroom bungalow close to the university Alune had set her sights on. Uninhibited were working on new songs between shows, and these ones had him exclusively on the keyboard. Vladimir wanted to play and sing and Aphelios wasn’t going to tell him no. He also wanted to compose their own songs this time, which made the process infinitely more complicated. Aphelios couldn’t play and talk at the same time, his fingers glued to the keys. So, he let the others tell him what to do. He’d play them different chords, work on different riffs, try and fit Vladimir’s dramatic phrasing to music, even when he knew deep down, there were better ways to go about it. He would write sheet music and give it to them, his contributions met with appreciation. However, most of the changes were made in rehearsal, whilst he was silent. Whilst he couldn’t contribute. It just didn’t sit right. They didn’t even call him talented anymore. Just expected that he’d be able to do whatever they asked. They barely even had casual conversation. It was always Phel do this, Aphelios, show me how this sounds. Not even a please or thank you. 

Then _that_ photoshoot came.

When they said fancy dress, Aphelios had expected pirates or maybe doctors or something. When they said bunnies, he’d expected soft pyjamas or maybe something in anticipation of next Easter. Needless to say, it was neither of those things. He’d been presented with a black bodysuit, a lace up corset, large cuffs, fishnet stockings and a plush set of ears and tail. He looked between them and Ezreal knowing full well that he had agreed to this, but he’d had no idea what he was agreeing to. Something flipped in his head. A switch he’d never known he’d possessed, something driven not by earnest compassion, not from a desire to have fun. He’d never felt like this before, so used, so inconsequential, so…ignored. They were supposed to be equals! When were they going to ask if he was comfortable with this? When were they going to ask how he felt about the latest songs? Did they even ask him if he wanted to be on the keyboard? Did they care how he felt about any of this? He was used to his opinions not mattering. He was used to placing everyone else first above his own needs. But now somehow, in some way, this sexy bunny costume had lit a fire in him, burning cold and spiteful in his chest.

Hell, Vladimir had never even bothered to learn sign language! They’d been a band for a year now. They’d worked such long weeks together, shared cluttered dressing rooms and spacious studios. Splashed their faces all over the internet together, pushed Aphelios beyond any boundary he’d ever been pushed before and Vladimir… Vladimir had never taken the time to learn how to communicate with him! Ezreal had never tried to make him! They never even bothered to video call when they needed him. He just had to listen to their voices and get Alune to speak back. How were they equals if they couldn’t even talk properly?! Was he just an accessory to their ambitions? There to make them look good when they needed him? Was he a prop? A piece of set dressing? What happened to needing his talent? Their songs would sound terrible without a third member, they knew it!

Aphelios donned that bunny costume with grim determination. He remembered everything Vladimir had taught him and combined it with everything he’d read about on the internet. He’d found other men with body types like his. Studied their galleries, practiced their poses, and then made sure to send them an anonymous tip for their help. He put on those fishnets. He donned those heels. He checked the position of that pompom tail and he strode into that studio. He gave it one hundred, no, three hundred percent!

Throughout the shoot, Ezreal and Vladimir didn’t say anything out of the ordinary. A month later, when the photos were released to the internet, they didn’t comment. They didn’t even boast about who was selling out fastest. It was like they’d forgotten about the photoshoot entirely. They just continued to struggle with lyrics and ignore him in the favour of chords. Aphelios didn’t understand. He’d given it everything he had. He’d given them everything he could give. And yet… and yet.

“Phel?” asked Alune when he came home that night after practice. She left her desk where she was revising for her coming exams. Having separate bedrooms now meant he could walk silently into his own and shut the door without impeding her at all.

“Phel!” she exclaimed, “Phel, what’s wrong? Let me in!”

He let her in. He couldn’t refuse her anything.

“Phel, what’s the matter?” she said, approaching him where he sat on his bed. He stared at her.

_“Nothing, I’m fine. How was school?”_

“Don’t deflect,” she told him firmly, “I can tell something’s wrong. You didn’t even come and say hi to me when you got home. That pretty much means your world is falling apart.”

Aphelios stood resolute, if only for a moment more. Then he managed:

_“How I feel doesn’t matter.”_

“Yes it bloody well does,” Alune snapped, “Tell me what happened. Or-or I’ll just go to Vladimir and Ezreal and ask them!”

 _“They don’t know,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _They don’t care.”_

“What do you mean?” she implored him, her tone gentler with every word as she realised berating him wasn’t the answer, “Please Brother.”

He couldn’t refuse her anything.

He told her about the rehearsals. He told her about the bunny shoot. The complete lack of consent he’d given to be in such a sexual outfit. That they’d barely spoken to him since the shoot. Then he told her about the competitive side to the band. The fact they didn’t put in any effort to understand him. He told her he was feeling less and less important to Uninhibited the more time went on and that maybe he was just an accessory to the others. Maybe he was just there so they could have their egos stroked by the boost he gave their music. 

“I’m going to murder them,” Alune growled.

“ _No, don’t_ ,” he replied hastily, _“It doesn’t matter. As long as I can still make money. As long as I can still support us.”_

“No, Phel,” she retorted, “It matters because you are unhappy. And when you are unhappy, I’m pissed.”

“ _What are you-wait!”_

Alune spun round as fast as she could on carpet.

“Go sit in the living room.” It wasn’t a request; it was an order.

“I’m going to call those ungrateful brats and put them on speaker. We’re getting to the bottom of this, now.”

He chased her out the room.

“ _Alune, please.”_

“Living room Phel, now!”

He went to the living room and sat on the carpet beside the door. The entrance was opposite that to Alune’s room. He couldn’t see what she was doing, the desk was around the corner, but he could certainly hear her ringing his bandmates, furiously tapping at her phone to dial their numbers.

“This is Alune, you’re on a group call, if you hadn’t realised.”

Anger was simmering in her voice, not that it appeared the others had realised.

“Hey Alune!” said Ezreal, “Long time no see. How’s the Maths treating you?

“What’s this about?” asked Vladimir, “I’m expecting a visitor in about oh, ten minutes.”

“Then you better sit tight and listen,” she replied, “I’ve got something to tell you. And I’m doing it because Aphelios won’t. He can’t.”

There was a noise somewhere between surprise and curiosity. Aphelios couldn’t tell who it was from.

“What kind of sister would I be if I let him suffer in silence?” Alune continued, “Especially after everything he’s done for me.”

“Too right,” Ezreal agreed, “How the Lunar Rover doing? Done any-“

She cut across him.

“This isn’t about me,” she interrupted, “So just shut up and listen. Aphelios thinks he’s the third wheel to your ego fest. He thinks you keep him around, not because he’s good, but because he makes you look better. And he lets you because that’s the kind of guy he is. For the first eighteen years of his life, he was told his feelings don’t matter, that he existed to serve others. Even when he could talk, he didn’t, because he was always told his opinion didn’t matter. His worth lay in how useful he was to the ones who controlled his life and…”

She faltered for a moment.

“And that’s not a state of mind you can simply forget.”

She took a deep breath before continuing;

“So, tell me what you truly think. Why have you stopped talking to him? Is he your equal or are you just having fun with someone who’s naive to your life of glitz and glamor? He’s worked so hard for your band, gone so far out of his comfort zone it’s like I’m seeing a new Aphelios. For a while, I was so sure things were getting better for him. He was happy. He was getting more confident. But since you’ve started working on your second album, since you stuck him back behind the keyboard, he’s been miserable. So, tell me. Is he your friend or your toy? If I think you’re lying, if I even suspect you might be using him, I will expose you to every news outlet who’ll take my story of you being filthy lecherous scumbags.”

There was silence. A horrible uncomfortable silence in which Aphelios wondered that maybe she might have gone a bit too far. Nothing she’d said was untrue but…he really needed this job.

“What’s your problem?!” Alune demanded, as no one on the other lines spoke.

More silence, but then, the creak of a chair. 

“He outsold both of us,” muttered Vladimir, his tone indecipherable, “ _Combined.”_

“What are you talking about?” Alune retorted.

“The bunny photoshoot,” Ezreal mumbled, “He sold out in two days. His photos were just so…so perfect. Hell, even I got stiff looking at them.”

What?

“What?!” cried Alune.

“The bunny photoshoot darling,” Vladimir sighed. Was that guilt in his tone? It was certainly something Aphelios had never heard there before.

“He was utterly fantastic,” Ezreal added, “Better than either of us, the sales prove it.”

“How were we supposed to wrap our heads around being out-classed by an amateur?” Vladimir stated, “We’re the professionals, we’ve been doing this for years and he just…blew us all away.”

Oh. This was not what he was expecting at all. They had stopped talking about that shoot because they were jealous?

“Then maybe you should stop treating him like an amateur,” Alune told them, “Maybe you should be treating him like an equal like you promised when you set out on this whole venture. You know, asking for his opinion, making sure he’s happy and comfortable with what you’re doing. Just generally being proper friends and decent fucking people.”

“Yeah, I was kind of thinking about that,” Ezreal confessed, “We got so caught up in our own success, that we kind of forgot we were a team.”

“We are so accustomed to enthralling others by ourselves, we slipped back into that solo routine,” Vladimir mused, “By pleasuring ourselves, we neglected our roles as mentors and friends.”

“Yes, that,” Alune agreed, “But in different words than the ones you just used. Next time you see Aphelios I want you to apologise for how you’ve been treating him of late. Tell him how impressed you are with his progress, rather licking your bruised egos. Make an effort to talk to him, understand how he feels about your work, because you wouldn’t have any decent music to your name if he wasn’t with you.”

“We’ll do that,” Ezreal promised, “Won’t we Vlad?”

“Indeed.”

“Good,” Alune confirmed, “You can start by video calling him rather than just shouting at him over the phone.”

To their credit, they did. The next day Aphelios was presented a long and rambling apology in a video-conference call. It was likely that conversation, and the threat of losing everything they’d worked on, that finally pushed Vladimir into learning BSL. From that point onwards, they always checked with Aphelios that he fully understood what he was signing up for. They put the keyboard away and let him perform. In their shows, they gave him more space on stage. Giving Aphelios back to his adoring fans, who had only grown more passionate in the wake of that one particular shoot. They let him help with their failing song lyrics. Appreciated his input on their new melodies. They even went as far as mentioning it when they liked something he did. And Aphelios did the same in return. He told them if they were going about something the hard way. He made his intentions known when he had an idea. He let them know if he liked their suggestions, if their performance was particularly good, if their photos turned out great. If they were going to be open with him, then it only made sense to return the favour. He still struggled with saying no. He fought back the urge to stay unnoticed in the pursuit of their happiness every time their views might come into conflict. If he was tired, or didn’t have the energy to fight back, he wrote down his objections for later. Sometimes he wondered if he was making things more complicated than they needed to be in pursuing his own happiness. But more and more as the months went by, he found that his happiness was aligning with what the band was doing. Especially now they stood side by side, as equals, as friends.

He enjoyed the photoshoots. He adored proving himself on the stage. He felt so flattered when he remembered people liked his music. That they thought he had talent. Interviews were still a bit much but he was getting there. He was becoming more certain in himself - that what he thought, mattered. In a way, Uninhibited was living up its name. Teaching him how to let go, teaching him to break the rules that were always holding him back. Uninhibited showed him that he could be someone. Someone special, someone talented, and dare he think it, someone who could be desired?

And so he was back where it all began – Vladimir’s ridiculously opulent manor, but this time, they had a second album to work on, hundreds of photos, one series of perfume ads and countless performances lined up for them. Alune had taken the time away from her studies to be with him today. Not because this was a momentous occasion. Not because university was getting her down. But because he’d approached her with an idea before he tried it out on his friends. An idea that had surprised her as much as it was going to surprise them. Aphelios had been pushing at his boundaries ever since he’d joined the band. His comfort zone had transformed so completely, he felt he would survive this one last push. Fans of Uninhibited loved their sound, loved Vlad’s singing, loved Ezreal’s bass, loved whatever he played that day. But Aphelios wanted to try something different, something new.

_“I want to sing a song.”_


	2. Desperate Measures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his bandmates' seal of approval, Aphelios tries to write and sing his own song. Yet, the life of a popstar makes all of Aphelios' ambitions seem not just unlikely, but downright impossible.

“You what?”

 _“I want to sing a song,”_ Aphelios repeated, _“And I would like to compose it too. You don’t have to help if you’re really busy but, it’s something I would like to try.”_

There was a moment of stunned silence. Alune narrowed her eyes at his bandmates, as if daring them to say no. However, they did nothing of the sort.

“Of course,” Vladimir replied, “The studio is yours whenever the need arises and we are not practicing as a trio.”

“Yeah!” Ezreal agreed, “And whenever you do need us, just let us know. We all understand it takes ages to get a song together, so just take it at your own pace. When you’re ready, we’ll be here. This is his house after all.”

He nudged Vladimir with his elbow. Vladimir promptly elbowed him back at three times the force. Ezreal buckled.

“What the hell was that for?” he cried, clutching his side.

“My poor shoes,” Vladimir huffed, “Be grateful I wasn’t wielding the heel you broke off.”

Aphelios, who didn’t care much for Vladimir’s designer heels, was still reeling in shock from their easy acceptance. He had been expecting them to question his ability. Perhaps ask whether he was even capable of singing in the first place. Yet, they’d just…let him? Given him the space and offered him their assistance if he wanted it! He let them bicker over footwear for a moment, before asking:

_“Are you sure? It might take a long time for me to make anything.”_

“If you have ambition, seize it,” Vladimir told him, his voice louder with determination.

“Wanting something for yourself is most powerful of motivators, and it is something I understand you struggle with. As your mentor, I can tell you the first step to mastering yourself, anyone, anything you set your gaze on, is to _want_ it to the core. I look forward to seeing how you channel your desires.”

 _“Thank you.”_ Aphelios wasn’t entirely sure whether Vladimir was still his mentor, but he appreciated the encouragement all the same. His advice on acting sexy hadn’t failed him yet, so perhaps this lesson would also serve him well? For the second album, they’d been doing their best to write their own lyrics and compose their own songs. As their singer, Vladimir had been the driving force behind a lot of their themes and wording. So, in a way, if anyone was going to give him song producing advice, it should be him.

Aphelios wasn’t entirely sure where this sudden urge to sing had come from. He’d started to think about it at a performance shortly before Christmas. The festive season had been packed with corporate gigs, leaving them with so little time to plan their own Christmases. This had been particularly irksome to him and Alune – who still hadn’t gotten over the novelty of Christmas after never celebrating it with the Lunari. Now they had plenty of disposable income, they could plan the Christmas of their dreams. Aphelios came home one day to find that Alune had gone slightly berserk in decorating their bungalow. The amount of tinsel alone was frankly blinding, a million and one reflected dots of light now dancing across the walls. Aphelios had to tone it down just a little bit, in case it turned out to be a fire hazard. They instead tinsel-bombed Vladimir’s house using the leftovers, with the help of Ezreal, who managed to procure an entire crate load more. 

Their last gig before Christmas was on Christmas Eve at a swanky London bar and nightclub. Aphelios, clueless about alcohol, had tried most of the drinks the others bought him and stuck out his tongue in disgust at most of them. Finally, they found him something so sweet he could barely taste the alcohol and he drank that one glass for the rest of the evening. In all honesty, he should have had more. Perhaps the resulting hangover would have made him forget the sight of Vladimir drunkenly singing _Santa Baby_ on top of a piano in his latest Instagram video. The singing was far below his usual standard, resulting in Aphelios thinking that maybe _he_ could have sung it better than that. This was followed by him reminding himself that he couldn’t physically sing. Followed by the thought, _but could he?_

The thought stuck with him as Christmas arrived. He spent it at home with Alune, free of his bandmates for a few days. Vladimir had gone home saying he was expected, whilst Ezreal had travelled cross-country to spend Christmas with his uncle. On Christmas morning, Aphelios got up early to put presents in Alune’s stocking. Eager to catch up on all the Christmas traditions they’d missed, they’d hung stockings on the mantlepiece, which admittedly only had pot-plants beneath it, not a fire. When he was filling hers, he realised his own was missing, and smiled. As he went back to the bathroom to get ready for the day, he heard Christmas music echoing faintly from their neighbours – probably already up with their small children. Smiling, he mimed singing the lyrics to one of the songs in the bathroom mirror as he washed up, and surprised himself when he vocalised an ‘ee’ sound from a _partridge in a pear tree_. He stared at himself in the mirror, trying to make the noise again but something in his brain was just saying ‘no’. He physically flinched as he tried again, his thoughts racing, adrenaline kicking in as if he were in danger. He began to tremble, dropping his toothbrush in the sink with a clatter. No, _no_ , he hated this. This always happened when he tried to force it. Why now? He’d been so happy just a moment ago. Why had he made a noise then but now it was making him shake?

“Brother?”

Alune found him sat on the edge of the bathtub, trying to regain control of himself. She pulled him into a hug and stroked his hair until his breathing calmed down. He explained what had happened. How he had wanted to speak. How he had hoped, naively, to wish her a Happy Christmas. But she just held him again and signed that it was always a happy Christmas with him - whether he said it or not. They spent the morning in relative silence, much quieter than their noisy neighbours, as they conversed back and forth with their fingers. Later, after Alune had trounced him at Mario Kart on their new Switch, Aphelios lay dozing on the sofa thinking about what happened earlier. For just one moment, he had sung. He had wanted to make a noise and he had. So why had he managed it in that moment and no other?

He thought back to that moment time and time again over the next few months. He realised he had spoken aloud more since he’d joined Uninhibited than he had since that incident six years ago. It was progress but it certainly wasn’t fast. There had to be a secret. Some kind of trick to unlocking his voice, just like he’d done in the bathroom. So, by setting himself this challenge, in his decision that he was going to write a song, he was going to find out what that was. Therefore, after confirming it was alright with the others, he started the long process of trying to create his own music. He sat down in Vladimir’s studio with a blank notebook and an Uninhibited branded pen he’d found in Ezreal’s limo. He stared at the neatly lined page, ready to brainstorm some ideas on what his song should be about, just like he did with the band. Five minutes later, he was still staring at the blank paper. Ten more minutes, still staring. After fifteen, he wrote the word ‘song’ at the top of the page.

 _Moon above_ , this wasn’t working.

By the time March rolled around, he still had no ideas and a packed schedule. At the beginning of the New Year, Ezreal had proposed they do their first proper tour – just a small one to get them started. So far, they had mostly been playing random venues – bars, clubs and places that Ezreal and Vladimir had connections to, or for businesses that had hired them for parties. They hadn’t yet taken their first album on a pre-established tour – with a planned line up of locations, venues and a strict travel schedule. As they were new to touring, they decided the first one would be a trial of sorts. A mini-tour of seven locations around the country, with a few signings here and there. This meant there were a lot of performances in a very short space of time, plus actual face-to-face interaction with fans. However, none of that daunted Aphelios more than having to spend three weeks away from Alune. There was no way she could miss three weeks of lectures, and whilst she would come and visit on one of the weekends to see their show, she couldn’t travel with them.

“I’ll be fine,” she said, before insisting he called her every morning, evening, and possibly over lunch too just so she knew how he was doing. He asked her whether she’d get lonely and she’d replied that she wouldn’t if he called her like he promised. She then proceeded to call up Ezreal and Vladimir and demand that they protect her brother no matter what.

“Don’t you leave him alone in any strange hotels! Make sure to guard him from those crazy fans, and don’t you _dare_ get him wasted.”

The first one was unlikely to happen, simply because they weren’t staying in any hotels. To get the ‘true tour experience’, Ezreal had hired them a tour bus. Aphelios, who had been on many buses, was expecting some sort of posh mini-bus, or maybe a large campervan. What he was greeted with was the cross between a coach and a penthouse apartment. It was scarily modern, with luxury in every corner from the reclining leather seats, to the wet-room-style shower, to the built-in mini bar. The ‘bus’s’ interior was bigger than the flat he’d lived in with Alune before this all started. It had two double beds and another one that folded out from the seating area. You could house a family in there! It even had a kitchen. Needless to say, Aphelios became very used to the bus over the weeks of touring. He also became used to some of the more, personal, quirks of his bandmates. He hadn’t anticipated how much time Ezreal spent in the bathroom every morning – be it showering, changing or doing his hair. First thing in the morning, he would often find himself sat on one of the leather sofas, dressed in his pyjamas, as he and Vladimir waited for a chance to finally wash after the events of the previous day. Sometimes they just made breakfast before Ezreal was done, leaving him to complain that he hadn’t been left any.

 _“It would have got cold before you got out the shower,”_ Aphelios told him, before passing him a cup of thankfully still hot tea.

He was surprised how easily Vladimir adapted to living on the go. He supposed if it was anything less than this exact bus, he would have struggled. However, he astonished Aphelios by not only knowing how to cook, but he never objected to tidying up the bus with the others. When Aphelios was brave enough to ask about his cooking skills, Vladimir merely replied,

“Well, I wasn’t always so well attended. You have to become someone to get your own staff.”

 _“I kind of assumed you were born into money like Ezreal_ ,” Aphelios replied.

“Well, you’re both right and wrong on that front sweetheart,” Vladimir sighed, sitting next to Aphelios as their driver prepared to set off on the next leg of the journey.

“Let’s just say it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and dog goes particularly well with a little frosting.”

Aphelios glanced at Ezreal, wondering what the hell that meant.

“I’ve been asking where he gets his money for years,” Ezreal told him, “Still don’t have a clue.”

Aphelios supposed that knowing how Vladimir had got his money wasn’t important, as long as he was safe and happy. Judging by the comments on Vladimir’s socials, his fans didn’t care. Perhaps solving that mystery would tarnish his appeal a little. Fans liked him as a glamorous enigma, so an enigma he would remain. 

By now, Aphelios had a general grasp of what each of their fans thought of them. Of course, there were plenty of people who were fans of the band as a whole. However, with their starting position of two influencers and a nobody, it was unsurprising that there were large groups who had a favourite amongst their trio. This became even more evident on their tour as they came to face to face with their fans – many of whom had been following Ezreal and Vladimir before the band had begun. The fans had contributed massively to their stage personas, but even then, it was amusing, and occasionally baffling, to see what they thought each band member might be like.

Vladimir’s fans seemed to be as desirous as he was. Unlike Ezreal who kept two accounts on various platforms, one safe for work and the other not, Vladimir seemed to have built his brand on sex appeal and luxury. He was the favourite of beauty bloggers and fashionistas who liked to dissect whatever outfit he wore in his latest photos. His biggest fans either lived similarly excessive lifestyles or at the very least, aspired to. His fans tended to scream the loudest when they emerged from their tour bus. Aphelios was also fairly confident they were the ones sending them underwear, or asking Vladimir to sign theirs. There was a slightly concerning number of younger girls following him on Instagram – high school age in particular. Apparently, Vladimir hired a moderator to go through his followers and ban anyone underage, but they still came in swarms. They certainly did at each of their concerts. The number of screams and yells whenever Vladimir thrust his hips… He seemed to enjoy it. Vladimir certainly relished in the effect he had on his fans. Unlike Aphelios, he didn’t balk whenever someone fainted or collapsed in awe of his performance. In fact, he seemed to like the control he had over the hearts and knees of his fans. He flirted freely with every adult fan who came to their signings, angering several girlfriends and boyfriends as he reduced people to swooning messes. Ezreal often shouted apologies after angry spouses whilst Vladimir remained smug and unrepentant.

Ezreal, on the other hand, tried to be a good role model – at least most of the time. Yes, he was supposed to be the cocky and roguish one, but that didn’t mean he had to upset anyone. He charmed giggles out of the shyer fans who had to summon up the courage to greet him. Aphelios noted that his approach didn’t tend to change according to gender. Vladimir got possibly even more insufferable – much like the moment he’d first met him – around men. Ezreal approached everyone with the same easy and smooth conversation style. He acted much more ‘normal’ around his admirers as if they were on an equal footing rather than fan and celebrity. Sometimes he stumbled on appearing ‘relatable’ due to the sheer wealth gap between him and most of his fans. However, they forgave him easily. Many considered him the most ‘family friendly’ member of the band. They came to see him with their mothers who were as equally besotted. Aphelios wasn’t going to tell them about Ezreal’s NSFW Instagram or his Only Fans and he knew Ezreal preferred it that way. He too had a lot of teenage fans, but if they weren’t on his adult channels, he didn’t seem to mind.

Aphelios didn’t know what to do about all the girls fawning over him. He had no idea what they saw in him and Alune just told him not to worry about it. He tried to relate to them. He’d seen attractive men in posters and maybe his imagination had wandered once or twice. However, he’d never become so…passionate about it. Grown women would tell him that they could take care of him, teach him a thing or two, if he ever needed it. Aphelios was never overly sure if this was flirting or not. When they winked, or leant over a bit too much, he realised what they were after, but…well, it had taken a few pointers from Ezreal to get that far. Aphelios had been known as the shy and bashful one in the group. He was certainly still known as the most adorable. However, the bunny shoot had come out, and anyone over eighteen who’d had access to those prints… Well, they’d learned that the cute one had a coy side. This had brought him a new wave of fans, all of whom bore some sort of attraction to how he looked. Quite simply, it was baffling.

“Just don’t tell them you’re gay,” Ezreal muttered to him before their second signing, “I know you don’t get why the ladies want you, and you certainly don’t want them, just… stick with it, ok? Don’t put them off.”

Aphelios couldn’t deny the sudden excitement that arose within him whenever he saw a male fan in his line, especially if they were about his own age or…well. He had a type. The others knew this by now and liked to nudge him every time a particularly handsome man passed them by. However, the fact remained that most of his fans were women. That only raised more questions in Aphelios’ head. Would they all abandon him if they found out he was gay? Was that why Ezreal had warned him? Was he in danger of losing them popularity? If they had less fans, they would make less money. Ezreal and Vladimir evidently liked women so they weren’t the issue but… Could he never come out in fear of ruining everything they’d worked on so far? Couldn’t they admire him, aesthetically, regardless?

At this realisation, fear began to nag at his heart. This had never been a problem before he’d become famous. Not that he had a sex life before, but at this rate, he wondered if he’d ever have one. With their new song lyrics, the sex appeal lessons, their many photoshoots, especially that bunny one, Aphelios had come to remember that sexual intimacy was a thing that many people had in their lives. In fact, having sex and wanting sex, was actually quite normal. Wasn’t that how they sold themselves? They made money from the fact that people were attracted them. Their lyrics fulfilled their listeners’ fantasies of being in love, or lust, with them. Sure, Aphelios didn’t get all the double entendre, but he now understood that it was there. When they were sharing lyric ideas, his bandmates always referred to things that they’d said, or things that had been said to them, in the throes of passion. In these moments, Aphelios couldn’t help but feel a little ignorant, certainly naïve. He’d never known the throes of passion. He could never give his fans anything they promised in their songs, because, well, he didn’t know how. The only reason he’d known how to act sexy in the bunny shoot was because he’d done his research. He had discovered, from a combination of social media comments and Ezreal, that his legs and backside were particularly desirable. His face was supposedly cute and well… a few people had commented about him being on his back on bunny shoot pictures, so did that mean they liked his front side most? A bit contradictory to the bottom comments but ok? He certainly knew that much, but how did he channel that into real physical intimacy?

The thoughts of his own inadequacy lingered as they finished up on songs for their next album. Throughout the months, between recording sessions, he had tried to work on his own song. He wondered, if he managed to make it, and people liked it, maybe he could work out his own appeal? Once that was figured out, then maybe the whole attraction thing would become clearer! He could discover exactly why would people wanted him and then he could find someone who did! Yet, he was no closer to writing a song than he was to losing his virginity. It was all just so difficult. He’d written a dozen songs with the others. Plus, they were finding themselves attracted partners all the time! Why couldn’t he do what others found so simple? Was it because he didn’t talk? Though judging by some of the parties he went to with the others, sometimes it only took a look from Vladimir to get himself a partner for the evening. Sometimes Aphelios thought he should just abandon the song idea and focus on sorting out his non-existent sex life. He couldn’t ignore the fact that every time they went to a party, every time they decided to go out for an evening, he’d end up going home alone, or with Alune, whilst the others absconded with a person he’d never met before. He saw the looks, the flirtation, and wondered how on earth _he_ was meant to do that. Oh, what would the others think if they knew he was paying so much attention to their sex lives? He wasn’t being a pervert he swore! He just… he needed lessons he wasn’t prepared to ask for.

Maybe it was too late for him. He was twenty-three and he’d never been kissed! Perhaps he’d missed it, his chance… If his fans knew he was gay, he would lose them. But if he didn’t do anything, he’d never experience what it was like to, well… He’d never know anything! And wasn’t that hypocritical considering the suggestive nature of their songs? Instead of writing lyrics to his future song, his lyric book ended up a monument to his own despair. He scribbled down everything he knew about attraction. He wrote a list of all the things he wanted to do (starting with “be kissed”, “go on a date”, and ending with “anal sex maybe?” which he promptly scribbled out in embarrassment.) His naivety was only brought into greater relief after their latest shoot. Their second album had a definite theme about taste and foodstuffs, largely due to Vladimir’s influence upon the lyrics. The single they planned to release first contained a lot of references to candy. Therefore, the music video they produced to accompany it, also had a sweets theme.

“What are you licking off your fingers?” Alune asked, as she looked through the footage with them.

 _“Watered down white chocolate sauce,”_ Aphelios replied, confused at how her tone had darkened. Alune was glaring daggers at Vladimir and Ezreal.

“And what do you think it looks like Brother?” she continued, her voice growing ever more dangerous as Ezreal visibly shuffled away from her.

 _“Watered down white chocolate sauce?”_ he repeated, expression betraying his confusion.

Alune dragged the other two off into the adjacent room. Whilst she was gone, Aphelios frantically googled what white chocolate sauce could look like, that would make her so mad. As far as he was aware there weren’t any drugs that looked like drippy white semi-translucent fluids. By the time she was done berating them, he was sitting in his chair as if paralysed by embarrassment. Now everyone in the room knew he didn’t know what- what… Oh this was so embarrassing! He thought the act of licking sauce of his hands was the sexy part! He didn’t realise that the actual sauce itself…

He tried not to blush all the way through the proceeding photoshoot that used the same costumes as the music video. Their outfits were far more fantastical than any they’d donned so far. There was a light version and a dark version of each, to represent the duality in the song. Aphelios’ costumes were white and purple for the light version and black and purple for the dark. They consisted of a pair of knee-length pin-striped shorts, the length of which exposed a pair of sweet-patterned socks and white (or black) leather shoes, each topped with a large plastic candy in place of a bow. The trousers were held up with glittery suspenders on which many small plastic sweets – lollypops, candies and heart shaped chocolates, had been attacked. On the top half he wore a shirt with short puffy sleeves, a sweet-covered waistcoat and a bow-tie. The bowtie too looked like a big purple candy, complete with white lace to look like the wrapper. On his head he had a fascinator – a top hat with a pair of bunny ears attached. Perhaps to invoke an Alice in Wonderland theme, or perhaps it was a call-back to his most successful photoshoot. Overall, it was very pastel – pastel pale in one outfit and pastel goth in the other. After he’d got over the initial embarrassment about the white chocolate, he swiftly got back to enjoying himself. They had spent such a long time working on the lyrics to “Too Sweet” that he couldn’t help but feel proud of what they hadachieved. He couldn’t resist singing along with the chorus in his head, and when he was alone, sometimes the urge to mime along over took him, complete with all the actions Vladimir did in the video.

**They say you.**

**Look too good,**

**Taste too sweet,**

**Dress too neat,**

**But I’m rotten (I’m rotten)**

**To the core.**

**So why not show me some sugar?**

**I’ve got a craving I just can’t ignore.**

**I’m sure one lick is all you’ll need**

**Because I’m rotten (I’m rotten) to the core!**

The photos were released in conjunction the single. Whilst most went up on the group page, they each had a few individual shots for their own feeds. Aphelios posted four photos of himself in his candy outfits, two light, two dark, all suggestive. At first it was the usual gushing of how adorable he looked. How they wanted to take him home, wrap him in blankets and feed him soup. (Why soup?). Yet, as the photo travelled through feed after feed, the comments swiftly became more suggestive.

“OMG, that is one sweet slice of gorgeous right there!”

“Oh I’d love to sugar myself a piece of that.”

“Mmm what else could he do with that mouth?”

“Got something for you to lick right here c;”

Needless to say, they were enjoying the candy theme immensely. Aphelios couldn’t help but feel the heat rise to his face as he understood some of the filthier comments. Over the next few days, he glanced at his phone just to see if he could glean anything else from the lustful replies. He needed to learn from whatever he could after all, but nothing there particularly grabbed his attention. It was the usual parade of people wanting to touch or taste him, or have him taste them, which made sense as he was wearing candy. They didn’t know what he tasted like, or felt like for that matter, so that wasn’t helping him in his secret plan to attract some more personal attention.

Just when he thought the fuss had died down, there was a sudden flood of notifications. More than he’d received on the pictures to begin with. His likes almost trebled and his phone wouldn’t stop vibrating with the sheer amount of comments. Shocked, he tried to find the source of it all and managed to pinpoint the spike in popularity to a single sharing of what was probably the most suggestive of the four photos. A user by the name THEBOSSMAN had shared his picture with the caption:

“Hell to the calories, I’d eat that right up!”

THEBOSSMAN turned out to be very popular on Instagram, with stats to rival even Vladimir and Ezreal. Aphelios couldn’t work out what he did to earn such a following but guessed he must be a popular fitness or lifestyle blogger. In the first lot of photos Aphelios saw, he was posing with protein shakes and lifting huge amounts of weights. Aphelios stared, lips parted, trying not to gawp at the display of gleaming muscle that met his gaze as soon as he opened THEBOSSMAN’s profile. He was huge. A red-haired Hercules of a man with a scar across his nose that was both mysterious and gorgeously rugged. He was unquestionably Vastayan, what with the red furry ears, but he didn't seem to have a tail. In most of his photos he was topless, giving the camera a perfect shot every time of his washboard abs and pecs so large Aphelios was sure he could use them as a pillow. As he continued to scroll, Aphelios told himself he wasn’t ogling, he was just trying to work out what this man did for a living. Except even _he_ knew the truth. He was one hundred percent, undeniably, unabashedly, ogling. Sometimes THEBOSSMAN posed with his motorcycle – a beast of a vehicle with gold flame detailing up one side. He would sit astride the bike, in his motorcycle leathers, treating the camera with a smirk that just oozed confidence and made Aphelios feel very warm all over. He was sure it wasn’t safe motorcycle form not to wear your jacket zipped up, but the black leather against those rippling muscles…. Oh, moon above, _this guy_ had liked his photo!

“Phel?” said Alune, who was sat on the sofa beside him, playing on the Switch, “Brother are you ok? You’re really pink.”

He put his phone down to sign that everything was fine. However, no sooner had he put his phone on his knee, then Alune had gasped:

“Who is that?!”

She snatched it before he could so much as react. Now she was scrolling through THEBOSSMAN’s photos, her eyes wide.

“Oh my, he’s a beefcake!” she exclaimed, “And he liked your sexy photo? Get in there!”

She began to hastily tap at his phone, causing him to jerk forward in alarm.

_“What are you doing?”_

“Just helping,” Alune said, passing him his phone back. Aphelios hastily scrolled through his posts, trying to access where the damage had been done. The first thing he noticed was that he was now following THEBOSSMAN. Ok, that wasn’t too bad but…

_“Sister!”_

She’d liked his comment.

She’d liked THEBOSSMAN’s comment _and_ several of his more revealing photos…

He never interacted with any of the comments on his pictures, or any of his fans, so this would look super conspicuous next to everything else. Would he notice? Maybe THEBOSSMAN wouldn’t check. Maybe he wouldn’t spot it amongst all his other adoring fans He could just unlike everything… But… But… He liked it so much.

“Oh, just leave it,” Alune told him, “He’s absolutely your type, and he’s into you too. Remember when we used to go watch those fitness bros play rugby in the park? When we used to score them out of ten? I know your type brother.”

She did but she wasn’t being nearly as helpful as she thought. Now every time he went online, he could see THEBOSSMAN’S latest photos amidst those of his bandmates, and just the sheer raw appeal of that man… It sometimes proved too much. Especially when he was only wearing those tight white shorts. The ones where you could just about see the bulge, and it was a really big bulge, and then he’d revealed those shorts to be swim trunks and they’d _clung._

Thank goodness, he didn’t share a room with Alune anymore. He was an utter mess. Somehow THEBOSSMAN had managed to get to him more than any photo of a man had ever done. Perhaps it was because his thoughts were constantly fixed on attraction these days, but even that didn’t excuse the fantasy that popped up into his head one night. He didn’t often dream, but on this particular night his thoughts began to replay an evening he’d spent mostly drinking alone in a bar. Vladimir and Ezreal had already excused themselves and he’d been texting Alune whilst waiting for a taxi. On that actual night, he’d just taken the taxi and gone home uneventfully. In this dream however, things took a sudden unexpected turn.

“This seat taken?”

It was THEBOSSMAN, which his brain helpfully shortened to “The Boss” or just Boss. He was wearing the suit Aphelios had sen in one of his Instagram posts, purposefully unbuttoned to expose a sliver of chest. He ordered a drink with a casual grace before sitting next to Aphelios. They made idle conversation about the performance Uninhibited did earlier, the ambience in the bar and the excitement in the crowd. In this fantasy, the Boss signed perfectly, though Aphelios imagined in real life the man probably couldn’t. He’d never be that lucky. Yet there in the dream, they’d talked for hours without any problems. More drinks were had, snacks were ordered, they had considered dinner at one point, but were too caught up in each other’s words to even suggest departing from the bar. As the night drew on, he’d grown more confident in himself and mentioned the whole comment thing and how Alune had frightened the hell out of him by making contact.

“What were you so worried about?” The Boss asked. Aphelios blushed and said something about how he was so attractive it was intimidating. The Boss gave him one of those gorgeous smiles.

“Well you know what they say, do one thing a day that scares you.”

Even in his own dream, it had taken Aphelios a moment to get his head around that flirtation. If you were supposed to do one thing that scared you, and being with the Boss scared him, that meant…

_“So, you’re saying…I should do you?”_

The Boss laughed – Aphelios imagined he had a warm deep sexy laugh. He took Aphelios by the hand and drew him in so close that he was hovering above the man’s lap.

“Any objections?”

Aphelios shook his head, leaning in yet closer. The next thing he knew they were in a hotel room not unlike the guest room he stayed in at Vladimir’s. That wasn’t important. His attention was on the man undressing him and purring how he was looking forward to finally getting a taste. Aphelios ran a hand through his silky-soft red hair and drew him up for a kiss. The Boss cupped his face as he kissed him, one large hand covering so much of his head. Aphelios couldn’t take his own hands off him, but the Boss had to sit up, just so he could take off a layer. Aphelios watched, flushed and flustered as the Boss unzipped his dress trousers to reveal….

BRRRRRRRRRR

Aphelios’ morning alarm.

Needless to say, he took a very long shower that morning – though not as long as any of Ezreal’s. That afternoon, his thoughts about THEBOSSMAN was added to his lyric notebook along with all his other frustrated thoughts about sexuality, attraction and his ignorance of both. He sat in Vladimir’s music studio as the others played in the pool downstairs, ignorant to the sheer frustration and desperation consuming their friend. Aphelios picked up his beloved guitar and tried to forget the lyrics for a while and just come up with some music for the damned thing. He put his phone in his pocket, so he wouldn’t be tempted for check for any new posts as he pushed down every stupid feeling that was getting in the way of progress. Things had been so much easier when he’d repressed all this. Sure, deciding your feelings didn’t matter, and that everyone else was worth much more than you, wasn’t healthy. But at least he wasn’t so frustrated and horny all the time! Why couldn’t he create a damn song! Why couldn’t he just put away all these stupid emotions and just concentrate! It was like their guardians had always said. Selfish emotion got in the way of all things. He had but one purpose and he could not let earthly wants distract him from his true meaning. But in this case, his true purpose wasn’t to protect and serve Alune, it was to create a song.

He huffed – the loudest noise he’d made in a while and put down the guitar. Ready to give up yet again, he planned to go splash out his annoyance in the pool. Yet as he crossed the studio, his eyes lit upon the much-neglected piano that stood in one corner under its scarlet sheet. At school, he’d loved playing the piano. Often at lunchtimes, when everyone was noisy and rowdy outside, he’d slip into a practice room and simply enjoy the peace it offered him as he sat at the keys and played. He’d always been best at piano, getting his highest grade in it, and securing the best results with it in his music exams. Unfortunately, here and now, the piano didn’t suit the style of music Uninhibited were making. However, he wasn’t creating for the band right now. Vladimir surely wouldn’t mind if he just had a go. Just to get his thoughts back on track? Playing the piano had calmed the anxieties of his adolescence, so it would probably do wonders for his frustrations now.

Once the cover was removed, Aphelios set his notebook down on the music stand. He started with a few pieces he remembered from school, enjoying the familiarity of a much simpler time. It was also a painful time, one where he had such little control over his fate and had to obey every whim tossed in his direction. But at least, in a school practice room, in front of the piano, it had been simpler. It had been a time where he could speak, if he really tried, and the Lunari weren’t about to forbid it. Of course, even then, he preferred to remain silent. However, if he needed to speak, if he had to, he could. Usually out of fear of being told off by a teacher, or failing an assignment, but he could if his terror was strong enough.

That was it, wasn’t it?

It was always strong emotion that drove him to speak. When Vladimir had hit on Alune, his desire to protect her had let him vocalise a warning. When she’d been overwhelmed by getting her chair, his love for her had driven him to speech. When he’d been happy at their first proper big Christmas together, he’d managed to sing, if just for a syllable. Emotion, over-powering emotion, was the key to unlocking his voice. If he found a feeling strong enough, maybe, just maybe, he could bring his voice out to sing. But what? What feeling was so overpowering recently that it had forced him into action? What was strong enough to make him do something so unusual as speak?

He stared at the notebook, his lyric book, sat on the music stand. Full of his frustrated ramblings, packed with all the things he dreamed of doing but felt incapable of. A veritable treasure trove of strong emotion, things he was feeling right this moment, things he’d felt for months on end. He hadn’t thought of those scribblings as lyrics. They were just the ramblings of a grumpy him, someone feeling hopeless and irate at their part in life. But wasn’t all music born of some sort of feeling? And if his voice needed emotion then… well, he may have found his way. His orbit was clear. He had the feelings. He had a whole book of words in front of him. He had a piano.

Would it be enough?

“What are you drinking Brother?” Alune asked him the following morning. Aphelios had stayed up late last night looking up voice care tips on the internet. If he was going to have a proper music making session, entrenched in his own turbulent emotions, he needed to make sure his voice was ready. He’d looked up what professional singers drank before they performed and therefore concocted a mixture of honey, warm water and a little bit of lemon. He offered some to Alune, who politely declined.

“Have you made progress on your song?” she asked as she opted for a cup of tea instead.

“ _Yes,”_ he said, before amending his statement, _“A bit. I have to make sure my voice will stay once I get it working.”_

“Ah I see,” Alune replied, “Well, don’t drink too much at Vlad’s party tonight then. Alcohol will probably dry you out.”

He’d completely forgotten about the party. Vladimir wanted to hold a party in his house to celebrate the release of “Too Sweet”. He and Ezreal had invited a ton of their friends, and whilst they told him to do the same, it was just going to be him and Alune. Did they think he had any other friends? However, he understood by now that he shouldn’t let that stop him. Alune had cancelled on a society dinner at university to make it to this party with him, and they were going to have a good time no matter what. He’d already been teased with mentions of Vladimir’s candy themed party decorations and pictures of the chocolate fountains being set up. He had both the light and dark versions of his hat leftover from the photoshoot. Alune had claimed the light one, so they would both be wearing them along with some comparatively normal party clothes. They planned to show up an hour or two beforehand, mostly so they could get a tour of the party rooms, but also so they could eat a large dinner before the drink started flowing. There was no point planning a party if they didn’t remember half of it. Aphelios brought his honey and lemon with him in the hopes he could pass it off as an alcoholic beverage. Alune however, who often missed out on student parties due to lack of accessibility, had no intentions of the sort. She was ready to party.

So, once again, they found themselves in Ezreal’s limo, off to Vladimir’s estate. The travel arrangements were much less weird now they’d done it so many times. Yet, even they weren’t prepared for quite how thoroughly Vladimir had decorated for what was supposed to be a small gathering with friends. Once they stepped into the entrance hall, they were greeted with a fantasy grotto made entirely of confectionary. Topiary made of hard-boiled sweets and lollipops stuck to polystyrene shapes lined the walls. There was a stripy carpet, patterned like a candy cane, leading the guests from the front door towards the party venue. The walls were lined with sweet-themed bunting, the curtains strung up with hooks that looked like lollipops with bent sticks. There was enough sugar in the main room to feed an army. Three chocolate fountains stood pride of place at the far end of the buffet tables, one white, one dark, one milk. There was fruit and marshmallows on long red skewers waiting to be dipped into the warm bubbling chocolate, as well as finger biscuits and trifle sponges. The smell of cooking filled the room as Vladimir’s staff lay long golden platters on the buffet tables, making Alune and Aphelios keep turning to see what new marvel was being brought out next.

 _“I’m so hungry with all these sweets around,”_ Alune signed as they waited for their hosts, _“They wouldn’t notice if just one sausage roll went missing, would they?”_

Fortunately, they didn’t have to wait long. Vladimir and Ezreal found them and they had a light, relatively healthy, dinner of chicken Caesar salad. The others had also donned parts of their sweet outfits. Ezreal had his blue and white waistcoat and matching bowtie, whilst Vladimir had his red and white pinstriped trousers.

“Reckon it’s going to be a great one tonight!” Ezreal exclaimed, running his fingers through his hair and inspecting his face in the reflection of a spoon.

“I’ve got so many mates coming. it’s going to be a blast!”

It probably was for him. No sooner had his friends arrived than Aphelios lost him to the crowd. Ezreal flitted from person to person like a particularly hyperactive butterfly amongst flowers. The party rooms filled up fast as the music started, people gravitating towards the buffet tables and bar to fill up before hitting the dance floor. There were a lot more guests than Aphelios anticipated. When he’d known his bandmates were inviting all their friends, he’d expected ten, maybe fifteen people each. No. There had to be at least fifty people here! Vladimir and Ezreal had so many friends there was _no way_ he was going to remember all their names. He got paraded around the rooms by Vladimir, introduced to so many glamorous people that he was having problems differentiating one from the other by the time they were done. Yet, and he had known this would happen, once he was finished being showed off, it became just like every other party. Vladimir and Ezreal went off to hang out with their own friends, form their own little social circles and well… At least this time he had Alune. That was a blessing.

Or was it?

“YOU GET BACK HERE YOU RUDE MAN!”

_“Sister please.”_

“NO! He took one look at you signing and then just fucked off! He’s getting back here and apologising for being a selfish pr-pr-disc…. HE’S A JERK!”

_“Alune, I’m used to it. This is normal.”_

“I’LL FIGHT HIM!”

Alune, it turned out, was a lightweight. Even after having what was effectively two dinners, and a lot of chocolate-dipped marshmallows, it had taken only a few drinks to get her completely smashed. Now she deemed herself a force to be reckoned with – challenging to a fight anyone she thought wasn’t treating her brother with due respect. Considering people usually ignored him at parties, this was the fifth guy she’d threatened tonight.

 _“No, don’t fight him,”_ Aphelios told her, _“He just doesn’t want to spend time with me because I can’t speak. This happens every time we go to a bar, or party, or just out.”_

“Well it shouldn’t!” Alune proclaimed loudly, having completely forgotten her indoor voice by this point, “Don’t pretend this doesn’t hurt you Brother!”

_“Of course it does but, we’re guests here, so let’s not shout down Ez and Vlad’s friends.”_

Neither of his bandmates seemed to have noticed the ruckus she was causing. In fact, after the initial introductions, they appeared to have forgotten about him entirely. He’d spotted Vladimir about half an hour ago, leaving the room with five other people in tow. His arm was round one of them as he led his little parade. She was definitely angling for a kiss. Ezreal meanwhile was still lost to a sea of friends and admirers. Aphelios couldn’t even spot him through the crowd.

“I don’t care whose friends they are!” Alune insisted, “My brother is a cutie-pie and a hot piece of ass! I’ll fight anyone who won’t give him the time of day! Do you hear that? I’LL FIGHT ANYO-“

Aphelios put a hand over her mouth as gently as he could until she stopped shouting. Alune was as tall as he was if she could stand up, but she was undeniably frail and really should not be getting into a fight with anyone. He needed to find a better outlet for this drunken aggression before she ran someone over or got into a fist-fight she couldn’t finish.

“ _Let’s go play Mario Kart upstairs,”_ he suggested, “ _We brought games with us, didn’t we_?”

She considered him for a moment, swaying a little in her seat as she regarded him with suspicion in her gaze. There was a moment of silence between them, before:

“Dibs on Rosalina!”

Alright, his plan was a success. He escorted her back up to the guest suite they’d been sharing since their very first visit. The room was equipped with a mini-fridge fully stocked with bottles of water and cartons of juice. To help with her inevitable hangover, Aphelios poured her a large glass of water as he waited for her to put her pyjamas on, then helped her sit up on her bed. He set up the Switch on the excessively-large flat screen television, and passed Alune her favourite remote, before going to get changed into pyjamas himself.

“This is so much better than that stupid party,” Alune told him, leaning her head upon his shoulder, “Stupid jerk men and their stupid jerk selves being stupid jerks.”

He let her thoroughly trounce him at Mario Kart. Well, she usually won at Mario Kart anyway, but he made her victories seem all the more glorious by following a little further behind. By the time they were on their third Grand Prix, she had begun to nod off from the excitement of it all. By the time they’d battled their way around the fourth, the controller was slipping out of her hands. Aphelios took it and put it safely on the bedside table. He helped her get under the covers and wished her a silent good night. He made sure water and aspirin were ready on her dresser for when she needed it the following morning, before crossing back into his own room. Now the game was off, he could hear music thumping faintly from downstairs. He sat on his own bed and ran his hands through his hair. He had enjoyed playing games with his sister, but part of him felt he was supposed to be down there. Wasn’t that the lifestyle Ezreal and Vladimir tried to live? Parties and glamour and fun? Wasn’t he supposed to be emulating that for the band’s image?

**PHEL**

He jumped as his phone vibrated on the bed beside him. He picked it up to find that Ezreal hadn’t forgotten about him after all. He replied with a simple ‘hi’.

**HI**

**JUST CHECKING CAUSE WE’RE FRIENDS**

**DID YOU SEE THE GIRL WITH THE CAT HOODIE?**

Aphelios didn’t know whether or not to tell him that his caps lock was stuck on. He could only assume Ezreal was as smashed as Alune by now. He told him he thought so and asked whether she was ok.

**SHE’S FINE**

**JUST WANTED TO ASK IF YOU LIKE HER**

**YOU KNOW**

**BEFORE WE**

He sent him a series of emojis that made absolutely no sense. Why so many aubergines? This really didn’t mean anything to him. He sent back a question mark in response.

**YOU KNOW**

**DO THE DO**

That’s what that meant?! Aphelios stared nonplussed at his phone before typing back **“Ezreal, I’m gay.”**

**OH YEAH**

**I REMEMBER NOW**

A few seconds pause.

**NIGHT!**

Now certain that both his bandmates were having sex tonight, Aphelios sighed and lay back on the bed. The tinny sounds of music still reached him as he pondered whether to call it a night. He stared at the moon through the window and frowned. Maybe he’d feel better if he wrote his thoughts down in his lyric book. Where did he put it?

Wait.

Aphelios let out a sigh so loud, he surprised himself. The book wasn’t in his room. It wasn’t in his bags. Or Alune’s bags. Had he left it at home? But he needed it! Now what was he supposed to do? Was he just going to go to bed with all his frustrations, listening to everyone else having fun downstairs, knowing his bandmates were enjoying themselves much more than he was? After grabbing a fresh bottle of water, he got to his feet, crossing the room to the suite’s main entrance. Locking the door behind him, he wandered seemingly aimless through Vladimir’s mansion. A few rooms he passed definitely had more occupants than he was used to. He tried not to listen too much to what they were doing but, well, they weren’t exactly subtle with their banging and moaning. He hurried away from the occupied side of the house and used his loaned-out key to slip through to the area Vladimir had made off-limit to party guests. His direction then seemed set out for him. As if pulled by invisible puppet strings, he made his way to the studio. He flicked on the lights just for the portion with the piano and sat down. Vladimir hadn’t covered the instrument since the last time he’d used to it. It was just sat there, waiting for him. Aphelios automatically put his hands on the keys and played a few notes. Then a few more.

He sighed again.

 _What am I doing here?_ He thought to himself.

He didn’t mean the music studio. He couldn’t hear the party from here so he supplied his own melody, a slow tune that betrayed his weariness, his confusion, all his internal woes.

He didn’t belong at parties. He wasn’t fun, or sexy, or glamorous. Why did Ezreal and Vladimir even invite him? Did they just want to show off their third bandmate before going about their regular business? That’s what had happened. No one was there for him. Why did he even have fans? He assumed that if all his followers knew the true him then they’d abandon ship almost at once. He wasn’t cute, or attractive, enough to keep them around. He wasn’t anyone’s fantasy. He was a lie. Masquerading as a popstar in the hopes people would ike him.

 _What even am I?_ he couldn’t stop himself thinking, mouthing the words as he played his made-up tune. _What do they see? What am I really worth?_

“What am I to them?”

Aphelios almost jumped off his seat completely. He clutched at his pyjama shirt as his chest heaved with sudden exertion. He touched himself on the chest, on the neck, on the lips. He’d said something! It was only a whisper, the tiniest of breathy voices, but…. It was his. His voice! His words! He’d done it! He grabbed his phone and opened up the voice recording app he’d downloaded for lyric sessions with the band. He set it off, placed it on the piano and then closed his eyes, trying to get straight back into that sense of hopelessness he’d just felt.

_What am I? What am I to them? What’s the point of being here?_

He went back to his slow little melody, the one he’d been improvising along with his thoughts. Soon it reached a regular tempo and structure as his thoughts whirred into action. He recalled everything. He didn’t need his notebook to remember everything he’d wrote in it. In his head, he replayed every event that had him scribbling down his thoughts. Every sadness, every frustration, every feeling of longing, desperation, loneliness, frustration, even his fantasy, even his lust for unattainable men.

_What am I?_

The thought stuck.

_What am I to them?_

His fingers danced across the keys in an increasingly familiar melody. He closed his eyes as a single warbling note pierced the still night air. His throat convulsed as his lips parted, but he wet his lips with his tongue and held himself in the moment. Letting himself drown in the emotions that had consumed him for so many months. 

_What am I to you?_

He wanted to know. He wanted to look his fans in the eyes. He wanted to look Ezreal and Vladimir in the eyes. He wanted to look in the eyes of anyone who’d ever gazed at him and ask…

**What am I to you?**

**Just a space to fill a void?**

**Another missed opportunity,**

**A heart left once toyed?**

**What am I to you?**

**A passing fancy, nothing more.**

**Too hard to decipher.**

**Too easy to ignore.**

**Do you think the stars get lonely?**

**They’ve never known a lover’s touch**

**Too distant for men’s eyes to see**

**Though they shine so much.**

**What am I to you?**

**You’ve never met this taste**

**The sweetness of my surrender**

**Will forever go to waste.**

**What am I to you?**

**Now I’m yearning to my core.**

**Fill me with your warm embrace**

**Or leave forever more.**

**Do you think the stars get lonely?**

**They’ll never know a lover’s touch.**

**Too distant for men’s eyes to see**

**Though they shine so much.**


	3. In the Spotlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last night, Aphelios achieved the seemingly-impossible in writing and singing his own song. But how will his bandmates react to the finished piece? And what does Track 14 mean for the future of "Uninhibited"?

Aphelios was the least hungover person in this house and it showed. He barely slept that night, refusing to go back to his room until he’d sung his new song to satisfaction. He’d written down the words and made sure he’d scored the music so he, or someone else, could replay it. He’d recorded all his attempts on his phone, so he could show the progress of how he’d got there. Going until he’d managed to sing it through five times with satisfaction, he was up long past dawn and yet didn’t feel remotely tired. Usually, the adrenaline from speaking would make him panic, but this time it was keeping him alert, active, driving him on to push himself further and further. By the time morning came, his throat was a little sore, but that was nothing some honey and lemon couldn’t fix. Once happy with what he’d made, he went and checked on Alune. She was still asleep and showed no signs of rousing. Padding around the room as she snored, he left her a note on her bedside table, along with the water and painkillers, to message him as soon as she was up. Then after a short nap, he began to hear the house coming to life around him. The sounds of cars pulling up outside to take guests home. The smell of hot breakfasts wafted through the entire house as the sound of tranquil music – a recording of rain perhaps, echoed from the rooms where the party once stood. Aphelios couldn’t be bothered checking on the party guests, not when they couldn’t be bothered with him. So, he went back into the closed off part of the mansion, expecting that to be where his bandmates had taken shelter. He wasn’t wrong.

He was by far the most energetic of the three when he glided into the dining room, greeting his band mates with silent yet exuberant gestures of :

_“Good morning! How do I record music in the studio?”_

Ezreal and Vladimir just stared at him.

“What?” Ezreal signed back before returning to clutching at his head.

 _“How to I record music upstairs?”_ Aphelios asked again, “ _How do we turn our sound into tracks? How does that work?”_

He knew it involved getting some sound professionals in and they sat in a little recording booth next to the room they performed in. However, he wasn’t sure how to do that by himself. Was it possible? He’d had a look at the equipment last night and it might as well have been an alien spacecraft for all the strange knobs and dials. If he was going to turn his song into a single, then he was going to need some professional assistance. Unfortunately, his bandmates were being less than cooperative.

“Ugh, my ass,” Vladimir groaned, “Can we focus on the fact I feel like I sat on an enormous poker my _god_.”

Aphelios refused to feel bad for him. He was fairly sure if you willingly slept with five other people then you were responsible for your own personal welfare.

 _“You did that to yourself,”_ Aphelios pointed out, “ _Or you had someone do that to you. Whatever it was, can you get the sound people in please?”_

“I don’t wanna record today,” Ezreal mumbled, “I’m all out of everything... I’m tired.”

 _“You don’t have to record anything,”_ Aphelios told him, “ _Or you Vladimir, just please get the sound people before this goes away and I can’t do it anymore.”_

“Do what?” Vladimir griped, “Can’t we just-“

“No. I need them now.”

They stared at him, eyes wide, mouths open. That was probably the most demanding statement Aphelios had made in his life, let alone in their company. However, he didn’t have the time to feel bad about his own selfishness. He had to record this song properly before he lost the ability to!

“Holy shit,” Ezreal managed as Aphelios continued to stare at them, eyes burning with determination.

“You spoke,” Vladimir commented, “Well fuck me, wait… you… wait.”

They were putting two and two together far too slow for his liking. Now he had their undivided attention, he switched back to signing 

“ _Last night, I wrote a song and sung it, many times. I need to record it as soon as possible or I might never sing it again_.”

Vladimir shoved a hand into the pocket of his plush dressing gown and pulled out his phone.

“Ok, I will get you the sound technicians just… don’t disturb me again, at least until lunch.”

 _“I’ll leave you and your ass in peace,”_ Aphelios promised.

He felt better than he’d done in months. It was odd really. Somehow, entrenching himself in all the emotions he’d kept bottled up for months, and letting them out with his voice, had proved rather cathartic. He’d never had anything resembling therapy, but he felt like he’d addressed how he’d felt, found a way to safely express that and then done it. Wasn’t that what therapy was all about? Hadn’t he just helped himself rather than compounded the problem by keeping it all inside? Regardless, Vladimir kept his end of the bargain so Aphelios stayed true to his. He left the others to groan about their hangovers after placing a large jug of water and an orange in front of each of them. (He’d read online that fruit helped, he had no idea if it was true.) They simply stared at him as he glided back out the room - for once displaying more speed and energy than even Ezreal. Vladimir had agreed to message him when the sound technicians turned up, so in the meanwhile, Aphelios went to collect himself and Alune some breakfast and take it upstairs.

Once he was back in their suite, Alune showed some signs of stirring. Perhaps it was the smell of bacon that revived her, for when he entered the room, she made a loud groaning sound and murmured

“Phel, that you?”

He crossed the room, placing the plate of bacon sandwiches on a side table before hastening to her side. Her eyes opened blurrily just in time to see him nod.

“Phel,” she moaned, “Phel, I’m never…drinking again.”

At least it had been a learning experience? Aphelios tried to stay positive as he helped her feel a bit cleaner and more with it. He’d never been so drunk that he’d become hungover, but he was a lot stockier and stronger than she was. Also, she had drunk a lot more than him last night. He wasn’t going to tell her off, part of him was still hardwired not to be too critical of her actions. Instead, he put his sobriety to use in cutting up her bacon sandwiches so she could eat without making herself sick. Then, whilst she was having her breakfast, he ran her a bath, keeping an ear out for his phone in case the sound technicians were here. Thankfully it took them a few hours to get to Vladimir’s house. This gave him plenty of time to help Alune feel better. Once she’d decided she’d eaten enough, he carried her to the bathroom so she didn’t have to haul herself in and out of her chair. He averted his gaze to give her some privacy before helping her into the bath.

“Phel, in, now,” she ordered, her words still a little slurred.

The enormous bathtub was certainly big enough for multiple people. The seating round the side could definitely accommodate four at least – more comparable to a hot tub than the bath they had at home. There was no reason not to join her, considering there was nothing they hadn’t seen before. He stripped down and joined her, reminded of when they used to share baths when they were little. On that note, there was no reason why he shouldn’t continue to be helpful. These days, she wasn’t as reliant on him in their everyday life, but his instincts were still there. Do everything you can for Alune, his thoughts frequently reminded him. Out of love though, not because that’s what _they_ told you.

 _“Do you want me to wash your hair?”_ he offered.

“Please.”

He grabbed the shampoo from her washbag and gently began to wet her hair ready for it. She let out a satisfied hum before saying:

“Do you remember when we went to solstice camp in Cornwall?”

Aphelios nodded, his hands occupied.

“And…and we had to pretend to be normal tourists ‘cause the Solari might find us.”

Aphelios nodded again. He remembered vividly. His recollection probably wasn’t as rose-tinted as hers. He had hated solstice camp, not just because it was freezing cold in the rickety caravans they’d stayed in, but because of the incident he dearly hoped she wasn’t going to bring up.

“The campsite had a pool,” Alune continued, “I almost drowned but you saved me.”

And there it was. He finished working shampoo through her long white tresses and forced back the memories that came with her words. Yes, he had saved her. They were eleven and she’d convinced him they should sneak out whilst the priestesses weren’t looking to go check out the campsite’s pool. Of course, he’d agreed, but no sooner had she run onto the wet tiles, she’d slipped and fallen headfirst into the water. He’d instantly dove in after her, pulling her to the surface, just as a lifeguard joined them and hauled them out of the pool. The priestesses – who were supposedly their aunts, were called. Alune was instantly bundled up in towels, blankets, fresh clothes and taken care of. He was… Aphelios stared at where he knew the scar on his arm had been. Sometimes, in the right lighting, he could still see it, white against his skin from where they had…. No. He wasn’t supposed to be thinking about that. Of course, it had been his fault that they’d gone to the pool unsupervised. It was his fault that Alune had almost drowned. It was his fault they’d inconvenienced that lifeguard. He hadn’t told them that it was Alune’s idea. Mostly because he shouldn’t speak, but they wouldn’t believe him anyway. Alune was perfect in their eyes and it was his duty to take the blame.

If Alune was going anywhere with this recollection, she seemed to have completed it in her head. He finished washing her hair, knowing deep down that the past was past. They were free now and certainly living much better lives than in their childhood. Just look at them! She was going to university just like she’d always dreamed. He was a popstar…which admittedly wasn’t how he’d anticipated his life going. But he’d written his own song and sung it! He’d set himself a seemingly impossible task and achieved it. Not only that, on a much grander scale, he’d managed to give Alune everything she deserved. He’d given her a better life than even the priestesses had managed. He’d protected her, cared for her, helped her and on top of that, made her happier than he’d seen in years. Moon’s grace, she’d got her independence back! She had a whole other life that was hers, one he didn’t need to be part of, that she could excitedly tell him about at the end of the day. She was truly gifted and he was sure one day she’d be the best Professor of Astrophysics the world had ever seen. She was already the best in his eyes. He’d seen some the mathematics she did for her degree; it was honestly frightening. He also, secretly, liked the idea she was disproving all the myths of their childhood with hard fact and scientific theory.

“Alright, your go,” she told him, “Pass the shampoo.”

By the time they were clean and dry, Alune had decided she really wanted to go back to bed. So, he found her a clean set of pyjamas and helped her back under the duvet.

 _“Please text me if you need me,”_ he told her, _“I’ll come check on you in a bit.”_

He sat in his room for a bit, eating his own now-rather-cold breakfast. Just as he was considering going for a walk outside, the message came. The sound technicians had arrived and were waiting for him in the studio. At the sight of those words, all the excitement he’d felt overnight came surging back. He almost sprinted back upstairs, startling a pair of guests who were still trying to find their way out of the mansion. He skidded into the recording area, surprising the technicians were clearly expecting his friends, not the silent guitarist/keyboard player. He pulled out his text to speech app and explained the situation to them. Vladimir, it turned out, had paid them to be there for the rest of the day. This gave them plenty of time for both the recording and Aphelios to get into the right headspace for singing. 

He had worried that, after such a long pause, he’d have lost the ability to sing again. He’d released so much of his pent-up frustration by singing all night, perhaps he’d released them all too soon. Fortunately, he had a lot of emotions to work through, so it wasn’t too hard to get back into the zone. His singing voice surprised the technicians. No doubt they were used to Vladimir and their pop songs. Aphelios wasn’t entirely sure whether he could call this song “pop”. It was far slower than anything they’d sung as a group. It lingered longer over individual words, and it wasn’t trying to get the audience up and dancing. It wouldn’t fit in the rest of their discography, but he wasn’t letting that worry him right now. He helped them carry the piano in the recording studio before taking a seat in front of his newly-written sheet music. They did takes of just the piano, takes of just his voice, and takes of the two together. A few hours later, he was told they had everything they needed. The recordings would be sent to their usual producer to put together and then a few different versions would be sent back – just like the band’s tracks before they went on an album. 

He left the recording studio positively glowing. Yet, it was only when he opened the door back into the music studio that he realised he had more company than anticipated. Alune left the recording studio through the adjacent door with a cry of

“Brother!”

_“Alune?”_

“Brother that was amazing!” As soon as she was close enough, he leant in for the hug she clearly wanted to give.

“Just wow,” Alune gasped, clinging on tight, “By moon and stars, I remember your voice I promise but I didn’t realise… just wow!”

“ _Did you like the song?”_ he asked.

“Of course I did!” she said, gripping even tighter. Now he was so close, he could see the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

“Oh Phel, I’m so proud. You actually sung! Just like you wanted and… oh god, that song should be in a movie or something because it’s just so… so… sultry!”

Not the adjective he’d been expecting, but he accepted it.

“ _You don’t think it sounds too different to the band’s songs?”_

“Oh, screw them!” Alune proclaimed, “My baby brother has the voice of an angel! A very sad and horny angel!”

_“Thanks?”_

She was only a few minutes older than him! That meant he was hardly her ‘baby’ brother. However, he wasn’t going to refuse a compliment when he got it. The wait to get the finished track was almost unbearable. He told Ezreal and Vladimir about what he’d done and where the song was now. They’d suggested that they put it on the end of the new album as an added bonus for his fans, which Aphelios liked the idea of. The “Phelfam”, as they liked to call themselves now, had no idea what was coming their way. Hopefully they would like it. He’d definitely put a link on his Instagram to where they could hear it. As soon as he thought of his followers hearing the song, he couldn’t help but think of one particular frequent commenter on his feed. Maybe THEBOSSMAN would like his new song? Would he enjoy it? Would he realise all that supposed horniness was inspired by him? No, Aphelios was getting ahead of himself. He would just have to wait and see. THEBOSSMAN would hear his track when everyone else would. Oh, but it would be wonderful if he liked it!

For now, though, he had to wait. The number of parties and awkward evenings out certainly decreased in the run up to their second album. “Too Sweet” was doing very well in the charts and apparently the stats on their video were impressive. Aphelios knew nothing about what the numbers actually were, but Ezreal was excited about them and that was the main thing. As the date of the album’s release loomed bigger on the horizon, their need to self-promote became greater too. Aphelios found himself approaching the next photoshoot with a level of confidence that surprised both him as well as his bandmates. Ever since he’d finished his song, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. As if by fulfilling his dream, he had proved, if only to himself, that he was as competent a musician as his bandmates. He felt like he no longer had anything to prove to them, in the recording studio at least. He already knew he could contribute to a successful shoot – just look at the bunny photos. They were still reprinting his, and they’d released a glossy artbook just full of his photos.

The latest shoot was similarly risqué, and in some shots, less clothed. Ezreal had come with the fun idea that they could play with some coloured body paints. This meant they started with simple black outfits that progressively got covered in suggestive looking coloured handprints. Then the clothes started to come off both single and group shots. Alune’s favourite photo of that shoot was the one where he was looking shocked with a red lipstick mark on one cheek and a blue on the other. He had insisted Ezreal and Vladimir not kiss him on the lips, but the cheek didn’t seem too bad. His fans’ favourite photo was the one where he was in his boxers, glancing back at the camera with a blue handprint over one ass cheek. Taking that shot required Ezreal to touch his backside as he was the one with all the blue paint. Ezreal, to his credit, had asked if he was ok with it before they did it. Then proceeded to with great enthusiasm.

“You’re not appraising him,” Vladimir reminded their friend, “You’re just applying paint.”

“Oh, shut up,” Ezreal retorted, “You’re just jealous.”

“Of what?” Vladimir huffed, leaning back in his chair as paint dried on his chest, “You’ve already touched mine.”

“Yeah and you wish you had such a nice ass,” Ezreal told him, leaving Aphelios to go wash his hands off again. Needless to say, Aphelios wasn’t contributing to this conversation. He had long decided not to get involved in any competitive aspects of their photoshoots. Instead he went over to the camera people and let them direct him into position.

“You weren’t saying that at our New Year’s shoot a few years back,” Vladimir smirked, “Though I guess you were more focussed on my c-“

“I bet he’s got a nicer dick than you too,” Ezreal interrupted, “I mean, he’s taller than you so statistically…”

Aphelios sighed. He managed a small cough, attracting the attention of his bickering co-stars.

_“Can we not talk about my dick please?”_

“Well,” Vladimir declared, “Now I how to sign for-“

Aphelios scowled at him. That line of conversation was over. Admittedly, Aphelios was a little curious as to what had happened at the New Year’s shoot a few years ago, but he thought he already knew the ending to that story. Therefore, he focussed on the task at hand. By the end of the session, they were not only covered in paint, but also rather sweaty. A trip to the showers was incredibly welcome, though he made sure to pick a cubicle far from the others in case they did want to have a competition over genitalia. He was just getting the last of the paint out of his hair when he heard his phone going off in the changing room outside. He grabbed a towel and hastened to his bag, seizing the device to find an incoming video call from Alune. He put the phone down on the bench beside him.

_“Hi, how are you doing?”_

“I’m fine,” she replied, “How are you? How did the shoot go?”

There was an odd note to her voice – somewhere between anxiety and excitement. What had happened? Why was she calling him when he’d probably be home in the next twenty minutes?

_“I think it went well. Messy but fun.”_

“Oh good,” she sounded a little relieved for a moment, before the strange tone came back.

“Phel, who knows our landline except for the utilities people? I’m guessing Ezreal and Vladimir?”

 _“Yes, that should be all,”_ he replied, concern creeping up on him at her words, “ _Why?”_

“Do you think one of them gave it to the people who distribute your music?” she continued, “Because I just got a weird phone call…not bad weird, just, a surprise.”

 _“I’ll ask them,”_ he signed back, _“What sort of surprise? Do you need me home now? I can call a taxi.”_

“No, no, I’m fine!” she assured him, “It’s just, we got a call from a guy saying he’s the Music Director for Demacia Vice – you know that colourful crime fighting show about being sexy and screwing people over?”

 _“I’ve heard of it,”_ Aphelios stated, “ _Never seen it though_.”

“Well, apparently he’s the director for a lot of shows so he gets album demos. He got hold of Uninhibited’s new one and he really wants you to come perform Track 14 on the show.”

_“Track 14?”_

He understood why she sounded excited now. From what he knew of Demacia Vice, it was a hugely popular long-running show that had somehow never faltered or gone out of fashion. He’d seen it called a cult classic online just because how distinctive its style was. He was pretty sure he’d seen people walking around with Demacia Vice t-shirts and baseball caps.

“Your song!” Alune exclaimed, bouncing a little in her seat, “He wants you to come sing your song on TV!”

Oh. Aphelios realised in that moment he’d never given his song a name. He guessed it had just got the track number as its title then. He didn’t mind, he guessed it worked as the mysterious Easter egg they were planning for their fans.

“ _What am I supposed to do now?”_ he asked, “ _Email him back_?”

“He gave me his direct number,” Alune replied, “I sort of told him I was your manager for solo ventures so…yeah. When you get back, we’ll give him a ring!”

He had no objections to Alune being his manager. He felt like negotiating with TV people would be easier if he had a voice to do it with. Also, her fierce determination to make sure everyone treated him fairly would come in handy. By the time he got home after the shoot, she had already extensively researched what to do if you as an artist approached by a TV company. She told Aphelios everything she had learned about performer’s rights, copyright and working conditions before they dialled the Music Director. The man had already accommodated them in allowing for a video call. Alune spent a few minutes on the phone with his secretary before getting through to the man himself. They presented themselves, talked a little about the band and then explained Aphelios’ mutism and how he needed to prepare himself to sing. The Music Director accepted everything they said with an air of great excitement. Apparently, he _had_ to use Aphelios’ song before anyone else got the chance. He was therefore offering them a staggering amount of money for his program to feature the first ever performance of Track 14. Needless to say, they agreed. The director explained that they’d already recorded the next series of Demacia Vice but the opening episode just didn’t have the impact he and the producers wanted. So, he had suggested a recording of a live performance on set to affirm the tone of their particularly tense bar scene. They wanted to use Track 14 as the soundtrack for that scene. He was keen to emphasis the raw sexual tension, the hidden longing, the forbidden feelings behind the reunion of two ex-lovers now on opposite sides. According to the Director, this was a setting Track 14 would be perfect for. He already had a pianist lined up so all Aphelios and Alune had to do was show up in two weeks’ time, having sent the sheet music ahead.

“That was surprisingly…unstressful,” Alune commented as soon as the call was over, “Google made it seem like a nightmare.”

 _“I think he was agreeing to everything because he’s desperate to get the song first_ ,” Aphelios told her, “ _He was bending over backwards to get us in.”_

“Well he should,“ Alune insisted, “Your song is amazing! Oh!”

She spun around with her chair.

“We’re going to need to look the part for our trip to the studio! We should be wearing suits!”

The following day, they went suit shopping. They knew if they asked Ezreal and Vladimir about where to get them they’d probably go on a tangent about tailors and fashionable cuts. Whilst they had the money to, splashing out just on one outfit was still beyond comprehension. Besides, they only had two weeks, getting something tailored in that time would be impossible. They ended up going to a luxury department store – somewhere they’d never have set foot in two and a half years ago. That way they could buy their suits off the shelf, but still look somewhat impressive in front of the important people at Demacia Vice. Alune chose herself a pearl-white trouser suit with a dark blouse and long silver earrings to match. They hadn’t intended to coordinate, but Aphelios chose a dark suit with a shirt so close in colour to Alune’s suit, they might as well be a matching set. The suit came with a matching tie and Alune encouraged him to get a pair of cute crescent moon cufflinks. 

They certainly made an entrance at Vice Studios. They showed their passes at the studio gates, allowing their gleaming black cab to pass into the studio complex proper. Driven straight up to the main offices, they were greeted by a small crowd of suited office workers, many of whom were holding up their phones to get a snap of them coming out. Aphelios noticed that were a few were holding posters, notepads, or sheets of printer paper. He fumbled around in his bag for the pack of sharpies Ezreal had told him never to leave home without.

“You’re a real popstar now,” Alune teased him as the car slowed to halt.

They emerged together to rapturous applause. Alune hung back, allowing Aphelios to smile at enraptured fans and sign everything proffered at him. He kept out of grabbing reach but took a few selfies with those who had sticks. It took about fifteen minutes to travel what could only be a few metres to the entrance. Alune put herself between her brother and his fans as they went up the ramp.

“Sorry, sorry, excuse us! Aphelios has an appointment to keep! Yes, I’m his manager. Please move your feet, thank you! Don’t want to be late! Thank you!”

Finally inside, they were led up to the Music Director’s office and supplied with drinks and snacks whilst they waited for him to come out of a meeting. Aphelios made sure to drink plenty of water, having consumed a lot of honey and lemon that morning. He didn’t want his voice to fail in front of the cameras. He was swiftly realising just how big what they were doing was. If the fans hadn’t been enough, they were treated like royalty – given a full tour of the Vice Studios, even the parts that were recording other programs. Demacia Vice had become so successful its filming location was now a huge hub of film and television production. The Music Director introduced them to actors and actresses as if they were just people he passed every day on the street. They passed what looked like a staff bar and Alune barely repressed her gasp.

 _“That’s Garen Crownguard,”_ she signed, _“He’s plays one of the two heroes of Demacia Vice, one of the detectives. We saw him when we watched the BAFTAs last year!”_

From what Aphelios remembered from their reading of plot synopsises, didn’t the detectives have the same name as their actors?

 _“His character is called Garen too?”_ he commented.

_“Yeah! I wonder why they did that.”_

After the tour, they stopped for refreshment outside the main filming studio. The Music Director filled them in on the plan for filming. The scenes themselves with the actors had been recorded months ago. They were using Track 14 to add a further ambience and tension to the scene, so they would mesh footage of Aphelios’ performance into the pre-recorded episode. The only performers on set would be Aphelios, the pianist and half a dozen extras who were sat exactly where they were in the episode. Aphelios admitted he rather liked the idea of a minimal cast, performing in front of the likes of Garen Crownguard would be rather daunting. He was shown around the set as the prop team turned it into a bustling city bar. He would be performing in a darkened corner, lit by a pink neon light in the shape of the number 14. The personal touch made him smile. Track 14 was his song after all and they’d gone so far as to create a new set light to remind the audience of that fact. The dim lighting of the bar meant that he would be in a bright pink spotlight atop his sparkly black podium. The black piano was similarly glittery. He got to experimentally try a few notes before being whisked into costume, hair and make-up. His outfit consisted of a pair of tight black slacks and a loose, shimmering black shirt. Considering all the bright colours that made up Demacia Vice, the darkness of his outfit was a little odd. However, when he returned to the bar set and saw them test the lighting, he realised how amazing the combination of neon lighting and darkness looked. Once he was dolled up in makeup and hairspray, they put him under the pink light for a test. He couldn’t help but notice that so close to the light, his shirt was slightly translucent. At the angle they had him stand; half of his torso was lit into relief through the thin fabric. He had no problem with this – he’d worn less in photoshoots after all.

As the lighting tests finished, the pianist joined them. They shook hands, making Aphelios realise that, if he wasn’t playing the piano, what was he meant to be doing with his hands? He had a gold microphone to hold, but still had one free hand. He got Alune to ask the director and she returned to report:

“He says to mirror the sensual nature of the song with your body language. Slowly move your body, caress yourself, that kind of thing. Look like you’re making out with the mic!”

Right. Ok. He could do that. He'd had plenty of sexual appeal lessons. He spent the next twenty minutes getting into the right headspace as the ‘bar’ filled up around them. He shot smiles at any extra who greeted him, but his thoughts were fixed on the release of emotion he’d felt on that miraculous night. He wasn’t sure how much anguish he had left in him to express. As therapeutic as it was, he had done a thorough job of channelling that in the recording studio. His worries of not belonging the band had pretty much evaporated. Yes, he still got anxious, he was very nervous now, but he knew they wanted him there. So, what emotion did he cling to now? Aphelios remembered Alune’s instructions. The sensual nature of the song… Well. There was definitely one feeling that hadn’t gone away. A feeling that was only strengthened every time he checked his Instagram.

Just imagine you’re singing to him, his brain told him. Aphelios felt himself flush under his makeup but knew he could it. Just imagine the man of your dreams is there in the bar with you, just like your fantasy, he told himself. This bar wasn’t too different to the one in his dream, it just had strange lighting. He took a deep breath as the director came on set and the camera people took their positions. Alright Aphelios, he told himself. The Boss is right there. Every camera you look at, that’s him just… do it. You’re part of Uninhibited right? Leave your inhibitions in the dressing room.

 _“You can do it!”_ Alune signed at him from behind the bank of cameras and various machines.

He performed his heart out.

Cliche, he knew, but there was no other way to describe it. Nothing else existed except his song and the hands caressing him and mic. Those were of course, his hands. He held the golden microphone with all the gentleness of cupping something living in his palm, whilst keeping it at mouth level. His other hand explored his body, running down his side, across his torso, even descending to his crotch at one point as he sunk to the stage with the desperation portrayed at the end of the song. By the end of that take, everyone was silent. Even the rehearsed chatter of the extras had died down as the tune ended and he got up from the podium, still clutching the mic with his final syllables. When the director called for cut, he couldn’t help but notice the many flushed faces in front of and behind the cameras.

“Just…just wow!” Alune proclaimed as soon as they were free of the crowds and back in the car. She was also rather red in the face, though certainly for other reasons than the studio crew.

“I feel like I just watched my brother have sex,” she confessed, “I mean it was sultry at first, but that version…that version was just pure… With the way the lights went through your shirt that was… Not that I’ve ever seen any but, well it was… erotic, right? Oh, moon’s grace, I’ve never seen you like that, it was…”

She continued rambling for a good five minutes. By the time she was done, she had exhausted herself from all the excitement.

 _“I think the fact it only took two takes helped_ ,” Aphelios admitted, _“I would’ve probably got more and more embarrassed if I had to keep doing it._

“Your friends are going to go nuts when they see that,” Alune proclaimed, “Let alone everyone online!”

Ezreal and Vladimir had no idea what he’d done. He hadn’t told them where he was going today. He hadn’t even let them know that Demacia Vice knew about them. Over the last two weeks, he’d considered telling them time and time again. However, it had never naturally come up in conversations, and besides, if the track was going to be their secret on the album, what was one more hidden surprise? This way Ezreal and Vladimir could experience the reveal too! He didn’t think either of them watched Demacia Vice, however he couldn’t wait to see how they reacted to him being on TV. Maybe he should have brought them with him. They hadn’t been involved in making, singing or producing the song, so he didn’t feel that bad about them not being on the screen with him. If they truly wanted to be involved, they’d have contributed, or made it slightly more than a secret bonus. No, this was his song and he was going to see it though. Oh, he couldn’t wait to watch his first ever episode of Demacia Vice! Maybe he’d encourage Vladimir to put it up on one of his flat-screen TVs.

Uninhibited’s second album released to much fanfare. As expected, it was the first five or so tracks that got the most attention. Ezreal kept tuning into different radio stations when someone messaged him that one of their songs was coming up. Unsurprisingly, Track 14 never showed up on the radio. Only the most dedicated fans seemed to want to listen to the album right to the end, and even then, people weren’t entirely sure what to make of it. Most of them enjoyed it, because it helped them wind down after a very energetic series of tracks. On the day of release, Aphelios couldn’t help but scan the comments and reviews on their fan pages, reading the debates on who was singing the last song. Some people proclaimed it must be Vladimir because Vladimir sung everything – he was probably just trying out a different voice. More people said Ezreal, as he sung backing on a lot of the tracks on their second album. Then again, it didn’t sound like his voice. A few people dared to suggest Aphelios and were quickly shut down by others telling them he was mute. They were in for such a surprise! Aphelios couldn’t help but leave anonymous likes on all the commenters fighting his cause, just to give them a little hope that someone agreed. Hold in there “Phelfam”. Your name may be ridiculous but you were right this time!

On the night of after release day, they had a sleepover in one of Vladimir’s enormous living rooms. Initially Ezreal had suggested another party, but emboldened by the praise he’d been reading online, Aphelios suggested an alternative.

 _“Why don’t we do something just as friends?”_ he tried, “ _I know you two love parties but, well, your friends don’t really want to spend time about me and I’d like to be involved in celebrating our new album.”_

“Oh,” said Ezreal, as if he hadn’t thought of that before, “Yeah… sorry about that. I guess they don’t really mix with you, do they?”

 _“They don’t understand me and don’t care to,”_ Aphelios stated honestly, _“It really pissed off Alune at the candy party. Not that the candy party wasn’t nice but, please could we do something a bit more relaxing this time. Aren’t we performing soon?”_

“He has a point,” said Vladimir, “Two days until we’re scheduled to that Debonair Club place you’re so fond of.”

He glanced at Ezreal.

“And last time was a lot,” Ezreal agreed, “I’d be up for a chill evening in. We could order some pizzas, watch some movies, oh, make our own popcorn!”

Out of the three of them, it was only Ezreal who’d ever had a slumber party before. He had Vladimir’s staff fill a lounge with cushions, mattresses, blankets and plenty of other soft furnishings. They set up a projector pointed at one wall for their movies and connected it to the internet. Eventually, after much debate, Aphelios and Ezreal managed to persuade Vladimir that part of the fun of a sleepover was ordering the pizza, not just getting his chefs to cook it. Alune, unfortunately, had an assessed laboratory practical the next day. She was unable to join them for a late night of food and fun so it was definitely a Boys Night In. Aphelios however made sure to call her before things got too silly and told her she could ring him any time. She just told him to have fun and not to worry about her. She had some revising to do and had ordered plenty of pizza of her own.

Then came the matter of deciding what movie to watch.

“We are not watching Star Guardians – Battle for First Light,” Vladimir huffed, arms folded to express his defiance, “Or any Star Guardians for that matter. The live actions ones are terrible and besides, they’re just so saccharine.”

“But they redid the effects for Blue ray!” Ezreal protected, digging around in his bag of DVDs, “Ok, not Star Guardians…what about… Steel Valkyries! Less power of friendship, more power of guns!”

“Put it on the maybe pile,” Vladimir sighed, picking up his remote and flicking through the selection on the streaming service he had up on the projector.

 _“Didn’t that film just come out?”_ Aphelios commented, pointing at the projector and the splash art for “PsyOpps: No War Kept Secret”.

“Yeah that looks good,” Ezreal commented, “I heard the CGI is really something.”

Vladimir let out another long sigh.

“What about “Forgotten Depths?” he suggested, “Or Omen of the Dark?”

“Why do you want to watch horror?” Ezreal groaned, “We’re supposed to be having fun!”

“Well you can always hold onto me if you get scared,” Vladimir taunted back.

 _“The Arcanists?”_ Aphelios suggested, before pointing at the streaming service again, “ _Or Inferno?”_

“Oh, Inferno looks intriguing,” said Vladimir.

“No horror!” Ezreal exclaimed.

Eventually they decided to pick one movie each and go from there. Ezreal went first with Steel Valkyries. Halfway through the film, their pizza arrived much to their growing hunger and anticipation. They feasted whilst watching sci-fi ladies blast each other in the vastness of space before it was time for Aphelios’ pick. He had the distinct feeling they needed a palette cleanser after watching intergalactic battles and asked for “The Arcanists.” It was about a hidden society of mages trying to live normal lives, hone their skills and stop their secrets falling into the wrong hands. It was one of Alune’s favourites for a reason. She’d read all the novels the film was based on. And whilst the books were better, the movie still had a lot to love. It was certainly a welcome few hours of relief before Vladimir’s go at deciding what to watch. It was clear from Ezreal’s face he was expecting something utterly awful. Aphelios was about to ask whether he’d had a movie night with Vladimir before and regretted it, when Vladimir instead opted for a dark fantasy film. Sure, it had a lot of blood and people murdering each other in it, but it didn’t sound nearly as horrific as the other things he’d suggested. Also, the protagonist was very easy on the eyes, at least they could all agree on that.

After the bloodbath, Ezreal finally managed to break through Vladimir’s objections to Star Guardians. It took Aphelios admitting he’d never seen any Star Guardians, live action or animated, and the fact they needed some light relief after the gore, to get Vladimir to sigh and say:

“Very well, but we’re only watching one.”

It turned out they were only watching a bit of one. Sometime during the opening fight scene, Vladimir started to drift off in his pillow throne. Aphelios wasn’t sure how far Ezreal got through the film because he had fallen asleep before he’d even memorised the character’s names. It turns out four films was their limit, for the next thing Aphelios knew, the sun was up and the birds were singing in the manor gardens. The house was full of the sounds of movement as staff came in to clear up around them and make room for breakfast.

“You know what,” Ezreal groaned, face first into a cushion, “This feels better than a hangover, I’ll give it that.”

Unlike the party, it took less than an hour to get them all up and functioning, rather than the several hours it had taken last time. They went and sat at a table to have pancakes for breakfast, still dressed in their sleepwear. Aphelios looked at his phone and realised it was closer to midday than he realised. He was meant to call Alune this morning but she’d no doubt already be in the lab. He sighed and put his phone down.

“Hey, guys,” said Ezreal, his voice slow, and rather tentative.

“What is it?” asked Vladimir.

“This is going to sound weird,” Ezreal said, putting down his fork to squint more determinately at his phone, “But, why are so many people tweeting at us about Phel’s nipples?”

Aphelios grabbed his phone at once, opening up Twitter. His ‘personal’ Twitter was really just a band formality, but it too was also full of notifications, many about his nipples.

“What the-“ Vladimir frowned into his fruit juice as he too checked his phone, “Our Instagram is full of comments about…a show. A TV show?”

He looked up at Aphelios.

“Darling, since when were you on Demacia Vice?”

Ah.

That explained that. It also explained the nipple thing. That shirt was very translucent under the right lighting.

“ _A month and a half ago,”_ he replied, _“The Music Director of Vice Studios heard our demo and wanted me to come perform Track 14 for their show. They paid a lot to be the first ones to use it.”_

The others merely blinked at him, as if this wasn’t quite penetrating their sleep-fogged minds.

“Track 14?” Ezreal asked, still scrolling through their Twitter.

 _“My song,”_ Aphelios explained, _“You know, the one we put on the album as a surprise for our fans? The people at Demacia Vice liked it.”_

A moment of silence.

“WAIT.”

Ezreal and Aphelios jumped as Vladimir suddenly rose to his feet, slamming his hands on the table.

“YOU performed on Demacia Vice?! With a song from OUR new album?”

Oh no. Was he in trouble? Had he broken some sort of unwritten band promise? It was his song! Couldn’t he do what he liked with it? Was Vladimir angry with him?

He nodded, slowly.

Another few seconds of nerve-wracking silence passed as Vladimir stood there, arms out-stretched, breathing hard.

“We,” he breathed, “We are going to be in the credits, right?”

Aphelios nodded. He and Alune had explicitly asked for that – his name and the name of the band. He’d thought of that straight away.

Vladimir cleared his throat, and stood up a little straighter. They watched as he visibly regained his composure. He didn’t seem mad? But Vladimir was very good at maintaining a façade.

“Darlings,” he suddenly declared, “Darlings, we’re no longer some small fry, battling it out for scraps of attention. No, we’re top of the food chain now. Millions of people watch Demacia Vice, not just in this country but all over the globe. Uninhibited has reached the world stage!”

He turned to Aphelios.

“My student, you are brilliant.”

 _“Am I still your student?”_ Aphelios questioned, but his query remained unanswered. Vladimir struck a pose, staring across the table like a general planning for war.

“Your talent, your resourcefulness, all the lessons I gave you, everything has been leading to this moment! The sum of all our efforts, the sum of your miraculous vocal achievements! Your words, on screens all over the world, leading people to us like lambs to the slaughter!”

“Err, we’re not killing them,” Ezreal interrupted, “But I can guess what you mean. Maybe a nicer metaphor next time?”

“Whatever!” Vladimir exclaimed dramatically, “This is the beginning of a new era for Uninhibited! And Aphelios has led the way into the future!”

“ _Thank you_?” Aphelios replied, not sure he could follow up on this sudden burst of drama.

“Do you want to watch it?” Ezreal said, offering them his phone, “The episode I mean. Or just the bit Phel’s in. There’s already thirty different clips of it on Youtube.”

“Put it on the projector!” Vladimir exclaimed, picking up his plate of pancakes and striding into the next room. 

They did indeed link the projector to Ezreal’s phone after they found the best quality clip of Demacia Vice available on Youtube. Aphelios was intrigued to see the actual scene itself. He knew the general gist of the scene yet he didn’t know exactly who and what he was the backdrop for. He tried to pay attention to show’s characters. However, as soon as he saw himself on the huge blank space of wall that was their screen, the weirdness of it distracted him immediately.

“Oh my, that lighting,” Ezreal murmured as they saw the first shot of him. It was very clever how they made him look like he was in the background of what the main characters were doing when they hadn’t even been there at his shoot. It was indeed as tense and full of barely restrained feelings as the director had described. Aphelios however was too busy waiting for the opening notes of Track 14. His heart gave a little leap when he finally heard the piano play.

“Here goes!” whispered Ezreal, “This is it right?”

Aphelios gripped his hands in his lap. The camera flicked over to him as the lights dimmed for his performance. The main actors in the foreground had paused in their bickering to look at him, though of course he wasn’t there for them.

“ **What am I to you** _?”_ drifted from the speakers dotted about the room. Aphelios glanced away from the screen for just a moment, expecting one of his bandmates to say something. Yet they were completely silent, staring at the screen, wide-eyed, unblinking. The next few minutes were a weird out of body experience for Aphelios as he watched himself sing, intercut with bits of dialogue from the main cast. It was very well done, as if the conversation reacted to his song and his lyrics applied to their barely suppressed desires. He couldn’t help but blush a little at just how hard he had gone on the whole ‘sensual’ nature of the performance. They had told him to caress himself. He had caressed himself. They had told him to look sexy. He had done his best. What they hadn’t told him was that he looked frankly…wanton. The blush on screen-Aphelios’ face rivalled his own as he looked up at the camera through painted lashes. He watched as one hand gripped the mic as the other ran down the side of his body before splaying above his crotch. His gaze almost broke the fourth wall in how often he met the camera, but he guessed it was justified if the camera was part of the audience. The last drawn out note was met with polite yet enthusiastic applause from the bar’s patrons, before the Youtube video suddenly came to a halt. Aphelios became very aware that through the two and a half minutes he’d been singing, his friends hadn’t said a thing.

He looked at them, concern creeping into his gaze as Ezreal continued to stare at where the video had been. His mouth was slightly open and he too was slightly rosy in the cheeks. He turned to look at Vladimir, who was now looking at him. Well not looking, the expression in those red eyes was best described as _smouldering_. Aphelios blushed a little darker. No one had ever looked at him like that before. The only reason he knew what that look meant was the fact Vladimir had taught _him_ to smoulder in their lessons. The silence continued longer than the song itself as it seemed no one dared say a word. Aphelios raised his hands as if to sign something, put them down, and then repeated the process twice before he managed:

_“So, what did you think?”_

He glanced between, silently begging one of them to say something.

“I would adore you even further,” Vladimir began, his voice low to match the lust in his eyes, “If you would allow me to witness again those gyrations, taste those lips, … partake in all that deliciousness you have denied the world within my private chamber. I know however, that this is a display I must savour the sight of, to look but never to touch or taste, but dear darling, I feel _famished.”_

Right.

Well.

Aphelios touched his face and could feel the heat radiating off it. Over two years’ experience of deciphering Vladimir’s metaphors wasn’t necessary here. This wasn’t vain flirtation like when they first met. This was both incredible desire, and, well, incredible restraint.

“ _Thank you for respecting my boundaries,”_ he replied, hardly believing they were having this interaction, _“And…I guess you liked it?”_

“It is perfect,” Vladimir purred, “Beyond perfect…it was Art. Gorgeous living art cruelly kept away from me by the velvet rope of chastity.”

Ok, he was extremely horny.

_“Ezreal?”_

His friend let out a small whine in the back of his throat.

“We could have the hottest threesome right now…”

Aphelios backed off a little. Ok, Ezreal was also horny… He had no idea he could have such an effect on people! Let alone his own bandmates! They’d seen him with far less on than that. Was there some sort of magic in his voice that he wasn’t aware of? Or had the actions done it?

 _“I am flattered_ ,” Aphelios backtracked politely, “ _But I…am waiting for someone special. You know, because I haven’t… Do you both want to take a shower?”_

Ezreal nodded and immediately ran out of the room. Vladimir took a little longer, visibly considering Aphelios once more

“You know,” he commented, “If you are ever comfortable enough for a taste of true luxury, I don’t just teach sex _appeal_. I would very much love to guide you to step by step. I’m _very_ good at taking the lead.”

Aphelios was desperate but not quite that desperate. Vladimir wasn’t an unattractive man, but he really wasn’t Aphelios’ type.

“ _Maybe I’ll think about it, thank you_ ,” he replied, “ _Just…go and have a cold shower, please.”_

By the time his bandmates sorted themselves out, Aphelios had already posted all the pictures he and Alune had taken at Vice Studios online. Forgetting when the show was going to air hadn’t necessarily been a bad thing. The fact it had come out so close to their album’s release was only a plus as far as he could tell. He spent the rest of the time browsing various social medias, taking in the reactions from their fans. There was a general air of shock, disbelief and awe surrounding Track 14 now. He was pleased to see his supporters were now feeling vindicated in the comments, one even going as far as to question who had been anonymously liking all the correct theories. There was a fair degree of confusion about how and why he was singing. The fact he didn’t speak was well known by now, but people were starting to wonder if that was a lie. Rolling his eyes, Aphelios went back to his Instagram and posted the last picture he’d planned to upload on release of the episode. A photograph taken of him on that stage before the first take – complete with all the mood lighting and set dressing. Beneath it he added a little message hoping it would clear things up.

When Vladimir and Ezreal returned, they looked far more composed than when last he’d seen them. They sat back down behind the projector as if they hadn’t so much as hinted that the video had affected them. 

“So,” Ezreal announced, “Track 14.”

Aphelios turned to look at him.

_“What about it?”_

“Well it’s amazing, for a start,” Ezreal continued, “Utterly brilliant. You never told us you were going so hard on the desire angle.”

How did they not know that?

_“Didn’t you listen to it before you signed off on the album?”_

Ezreal looked at Vladimir. Vladimir looked back at Ezreal, raising one sculpted eyebrow.

 _“You didn’t listen to it?”_ Aphelios exclaimed, his gestures a little more frantic in shock, _“I sent you the finished track for approval!”_

“We had the utmost faith in you,” Vladimir replied smoothly, “Besides, this is your passion project, you would not have declared it done if it was not perfect.”

So, they definitely didn’t. That meant this video, the much sexier version of his song, was the first time they’d ever heard it. Oh, moon and stars! He thought they’d been prepared. He thought they already knew the lyrics! Was this why their reaction had been so strong? Well, it was their fault for going in blind when he’d given them every opportunity, but still! Maybe that explained how they acted.

 _“Well, at least people like it?”_ he replied, “ _Do you think it fits in with the rest of the album?”_

“It’s a different tone and tempo but certainly,” Vladimir stated, “Aren’t we all about letting loose our inhibitions? Also, you included a reference to taste and sweetness so it ties in thematically with our other numbers.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Ezreal sighed, “You managed to do that, all by yourself, from a state of not having sung in years… I remember your singing voice from school and it was so good then but as an adult… my god. How did you get yourself to sing in the end?”

 _“My voice returns when I’m feeling very emotional,”_ Aphelios explained, “ _So I have to drown myself in a particular feeling to get it to respond. It’s probably not a sustainable way to do it…I’d just be depressed all the time. But it worked on this occasion.”_

“I enjoyed the sheer lust in the latter half,” Vladimir commented, “You certainly channelled that very well.”

Now he was blushing again.

“Oh yeah,” Ezreal agreed, pulling the song up on his phone again so they could all see the lyrics, “This bit about being filled, wow, you must be pent up in there.”

Aphelios frowned at him. Ezreal’s tone had become teasing, a smile stretching across his face as he formulated some sort of plan behind those deceptively-innocent blue eyes.

“My, you’re so right,” Vladimir continued, “Darling, you know that I, and many people I know, would love a taste of your surrender. You don’t have to fuel your music through virgin angst.”

He too was smirking. Aphelios scowled at them both. He could see what they doing. He had embarrassed them by catching them off guard and now they were trying to fluster him as revenge.

“ _I refuse to feel embarrassed about this_ ,” he declared, still a little pink in the face, “ _This is more than I could have ever dreamed when I realised my voice was gone forever. It’s been six years since I said more than a few syllables and now I’ve sung a whole song. You can’t make me feel ashamed of what I’ve achieved. Yes, it’s sexy but… haven’t you two been sexy on camera for years? Why should I be embarrassed?”_

Vladimir’s smirk turned into a genuine smile. He startled both his bandmates by clapping once, twice, thrice.

“You’ve come into your own at last darling,” he congratulated, “This confidence suits you well.”

“Yeah, you don’t need to put up with our shit,” Ezreal chuckled, “We don’t put up with each other’s. Though if you do ever want to cut loose, I know some really nice guys.”

“And I know some far rougher gentlemen,” Vladimir interrupted, “If that’s your thing.”

 _“I’ll think about it_ ,” Aphelios told them, _“I might be looking for something a bit more, romantic, than that.”_

Ezreal nodded understandingly.

“Come on, let’s social media binge to see how people are reacting! I can put my phone back on the projector!”

They did indeed spend most of the day reading comments and watching reaction videos to the latest episode of Demacia Vice. Aphelios, not wanting it to be all about him, insisted they also check for feedback on their latest album. Despite his interjections, the others were more interested in the trickle of fanart that was coming in of Aphelios’ Demacia Vice outfit. They had already agreed to do a Demacia Vice inspired photoshoot by the time t Alune called them up to suggest the exact same thing. She was beside herself with how everyone was reacting to Aphelios’ screen time. She still felt like she’d watched him have sex with a mic on screen, but she was incredibly proud regardless. With a definite smugness, she informed them how bonkers the “Phelfam” were going in her university’s music society. She followed their Facebook Group just to see if anything about Uninhibited was on there and it had not been disappointed. She sent them screenshots of comments discussing who was the hottest member of Uninhibited, a poll in which Aphelios was now firmly in the lead. (She then sent them lots of tongue sticking out emojis as if she knew that this would rile up in his bandmates.) Later that afternoon, she sent them an article proclaiming “Uninhibited’s Nobody Takes Centre Stage in Stunning Display of Sexual Magnetism.” The piece shared the same level as shock as their fans, continuing the story that Aphelios’ talent had come out of nowhere and shocked everyone. Not strictly true, he told his bandmates, he had been working on it for months. However, he was told to let the media run this story, it only added to the hype around it all.

Later than evening, once Aphelios was safely home, the second wave of notifications hit. His hopes suddenly sky-high, he opened Instagram with trembling fingers, almost dropping his phone in his eagerness to see whether it was _him._

**THEBOSSMAN: “How does this guy keep getting hotter?!!!”**

Yes! He couldn’t help but squirm a little in his seat. He’d seen it! THEBOSSMAN had seen his song! And he'd though he was hot! That was it. He’d done it. Every part of his dream had come true!

He rode the high of Track 14’s success for the next few weeks. Whilst his thoughts occasionally told him he was being selfish with this self-congratulation, there was no denying that he had made a thing and made it well. Not only did the Demacia Vice recording make it onto the radio, but they were approached to make it into an individual track for sale. Aphelios felt like he had one more rendition in him, so they summoned back the sound technicans and created what came to be known as the ‘Full Band’ version of Track 14. With Aphelios on vocals, Vladimir revealed why he had a piano in his music studio he never seemed to play. Whilst he took him a little longer to learn it than Aphelios or the pianist on Demacia Vice, his piano playing skills were impressive This put Ezreal on first guitar rather than his usual bass. The first two versions of Track 14 had no guitar, but somehow the addition of long electric sounding notes didn’t diminish the sensuality of the whole thing. They released that version along in a special edition, along with the official version from Demacia Vice. The fans ate it up. The Vice-inspired photoshoot was fun and involved posing with a very expensive looking car. Yet Aphelios couldn’t help but think it wasn’t as exciting as previous shoots they’d done. Overall, it felt far less creative, to adopt someone else’s style and try to emulate it. Vladimir was clearly thinking the same way

“I’ve started planning something far more thrilling for us,” Vladimir informed them as they packed up after the shoot, “To capitalise on all these fantastic articles we’ve been getting. I’m just sourcing a few things and then all will be revealed.”

Aphelios found himself looking forward to whatever Vladimir had in mind. There had been a lot of articles online, and in a few music magazines, about this shocking new song. Most seemed to like the angle that Aphelios was a hidden nobody who had stepped out of the shadows to wow his fans and outshine his already-famous colleagues. People were keen to describe how he had no online presence, no following, no recognition before Uninhibited started and now he was rivalling his bandmates in popularity. Aphelios didn’t want to compete with them, and let them know that on multiple occasions. They told him they understood. The press was just doing press things, and they weren’t going to let themselves get pressured into a rivalry. The publicity was wonderful, even if the content was less so. It therefore intrigued him how Vladimir had used those articles as inspiration for their next shoot. Yet Vladimir refused to divulge any details until he considered everything perfect.

Yet, even Aphelios’ excitement for his song did not compare to the sheer joy that greeted him a month after the album’s release. Beginning like any other evening, he had enjoyed a relaxing day at home with Alune. They had been to the grocery store and decided to make cupcakes when they got back. All was calm as they finished icing the cakes. They were just stacking the dishwasher, satosfoed with their efforts, when suddenly both their phones went off. It was Ezreal, and he had started a group call.

“GUYS!” he exclaimed “GUYS…AND ALUNE!”

He was shouting down the phone, his eyes so wide he looked almost manic.

“Breathe,” Vladimir ordered him.

 _“What is it?”_ Aphelios asked.

“Why am I here?” Alune chimed in.

“Because you NEED to know!” Ezreal answered, “Everyone NEEDS to know. This is HUGE!”

His phone was shaking with the sheer force of his excitement. He appeared to be pacing around his apartment, occasionally doing little jumps around the corners of furniture.

“I concur with Aphelios,” Vladimir stated, “What is it?”

Ezreal let out a high-pitched giggle Aphelios had never heard coming from his mouth before.

“Prepare yourself!” Ezreal exclaimed, “Guess who’s been invited to RIFT FEST?!”

Aphelios shared a look with Alune. Rift Fest? The enormous music festival that turned up every two years and invaded a large swathe of the countryside? The one that dominated every radio and TV channel when it was on and people got up at the crack of dawn for in the hopes of buying tickets? That Rift Fest?

“I hope it’s us or this is going to be a very anticlimactic call,” Vladimir replied.

“IT’S US!” Ezreal screamed, “IT’S US! WE’RE GOING TO RIFT FEST!”

Aphelios moved his phone a little further away from the sheer noise blasting through his speakers.

“You know who else’s performing this year?” Ezreal continued, his voice almost incomprehensibly fast in elation, “Pentakill! K/D/A! _True Damage_ …”

He let out the last name with a dreamy sigh. There was a moment of silence between them in which Aphelios tried to come up with a response. Vladimir seemed to be considering this proclamation and had just opened his mouth when Ezreal suddenly yelled:

“WE’RE GOING TO RIFT FEST BABY!”


	4. Rift Fest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uninhibited are bound for Rift Fest! What awaits them there and will Aphelios survive the preparations?
> 
> (Fic rating has gone up to E as of this chapter! Expect sexual content!)

The facts did not diminish Ezreal’s sheer level of excitement. Rift Fest was two months away, and as Vladimir pointed out at their next meeting, huge festivals such as this usually booked their acts many more months in advance. It seemed increasingly likely that they hadn’t been Rift Fest’s first choice of act for their early afternoon slot on the Silver Stage. However, their sudden boost in fame, thanks in no small part to Aphelios’ appearance on Demacia Vice, had catapulted them into the spotlight. Making them the perfect choice to fill in a vacant spot from another band dropping out. Yet Uninhibited weren’t going to turn down this golden opportunity. Aphelios had never been to a festival before and apparently Rift Fest was _the_ festival to experience at least once in your life. Ezreal eagerly recounted many years of Rift Fest experiences – everything from setting up tents to pushing to the front of crowds, to that one time he was _absolutely sure_ Ekko from True Damage winked at him. Even Vladimir had a few stories to tell, though Aphelios didn’t think he was sort of go trampling about a muddy field with the masses. He had never camped there but he described with great admiration the facilities and food options compared to previous festivals he’d attended. Tickets to Rift Fest sold out within minutes of them being put online and were frequently the target of scalpers. Ezreal, so caught up in work with the band, had completely missed out on tickets this year so was even more thrilled that he was now going. He had already booked their previous tour bus and made sure they had a place to park it in the Artists’ Site. Now the real preparation work had to begin.

The sudden presence of Rift Fest in their life meant a lot of plans had to change. They had been talking about going on tour for their second album and those plans were now pushed back for a later date. Not only that, Vladimir’s surprise photoshoot was also delayed.

“It isn’t the right time,” he told them when they brought the matter up, “I’m sure it will still be very well received after the festival.”

He was still being mysterious about the whole affair, so Aphelios decided to leave him to it. There was plenty of time to still do said photoshoot, but if Vladimir insisted they weren’t ready, then so be it. They had a lot of work to do to make the most of the opportunity they’d been given. They had their stage slot and a list of what could be provided, and they had to make the best live set possible out of the results.

“Well we haven’t got any unheard new stuff,” Ezreal mused, “So that solves one problem. Besides, people don’t go to Rift Fest to hear new songs, they want to dance along to the classics.”

“Indeed,” Vladimir agreed, “Which means we need an assortment both our first and second albums, and a rousing way to start and finish the set.”

 _“Start and end with the two biggest singles?”_ Aphelios suggested, _“Chase Me to Too Sweet is kind of like a story, you start with the race and end with the victory.”_

“Yeah let’s do that!” Ezreal exclaimed, sitting up straighter in his chair, “Let’s try and make this into a sort of story. Probably about seduction knowing our songs.”

“So, we begin with the invitation and finish with the climax,” Vladimir chuckled, “I like it. The creens provided can aid that story. We can use the assets from our Too Sweet video for the songs from the second album, but we’re going to have to bring someone in to illustrate the earlier tracks. Five screens are far too much space to lay bare, we’re going to need to dazzle them.”

As they talked about which tracks to perform and in what order, Aphelios awaited the question he’d been thinking about ever since they’d got off that initial phone call. His appearance on Demacia Vice had no doubt helped them get this slot at Rift Fest. Track 14 had helped bring them this far. Would their fans expect to see Track 14 at Rift Fest? And more importantly, would he be able to perform it in front of so many people? Every time he’d performed his song, it had been a release of sorts. A way to channel the negativity that had been bottled up inside him – his anxiety about having fun, his feeling of being an imposter in Ezreal and Vladimir’s world, his concern that he would never get to express himself in favour of presenting the image fans wanted. Whilst not all his concerns had been addressed, most of them had. He had released those emotions time and time again. He could no longer drown himself in them. The pool of negativity had been drained from so many performances. Yes, he could do what he did on Demacia Vice. Yes, he still had that simmering want that crept into his dreams. However, even he hadn’t realised how hard he’d gone for the cameras. He thought he was simply channelling everything he’d been taught, doing what the director asked. He’d never thought he’d be able to radiate lust like so many commenters said he did. Looking back at that clip now, he almost felt embarrassed at how unintentionally wanton he looked. The whole world had seen the pent-up sexual frustration inside of him and now…well, Aphelios was too flustered to do it again. He couldn’t do that on the stage at Rift Fest, he just couldn’t. So, with neither sadness nor horniness being an option, he wasn’t sure he could get his voice out.

“So, what about Track 14?” Ezreal suggested part way through drafting their set list. All attention moved onto Aphelios, who had long prepared his answer.

“ _Not at Rift Fest,”_ he replied, “ _I don’t think I can summon my voice again so soon. Not in front of so many people, especially if they expect something like my performance on Demacia Vice.”_

“It will also be televised before watershed,” Ezreal agreed.

Aphelios blushed.

 _“I told you, I didn’t realise how…not safe for work I was being,”_ he continued, _“But now I have, it would take a lot of nerve to do that again. Let alone to speak whilst doing so.”_

“I imagine with enough drink you could,” Vladimir commented, “But if you are not comfortable with taking centre stage, then we will not push you into it.”

 _“Thank you,”_ Aphelios signed, “ _Also, I don’t think Track 14 fits the party atmosphere we’re going for here. It’s a little too slow to get people dancing.”_

“Are you sure you’re fine with us not including it?” Ezreal asked, “You’re not just saying what you think we want to hear?”

Ah, he’d learned.

“ _I am sure_ ,” Aphelios replied, “ _I think I would be better suited to the guitar at Rift Fest.”_

Track 14 hadn’t faded entirely out of the public consciousness. There was still a lot of discussion about in on their fan pages and social media. The occasional article or blog still came out discussing the song. However, like all fads upon the internet, these things passed rapidly, ready for the next exciting new thing. Track 14 was still very much alive in the hearts of the band’s committed fans, as well as those of Demacia Vice, but the mainstream media had already passed on. Aphelios didn’t care that fewer people were talking about it. Track 14 had been, above all, a chance to prove himself to himself. He had set a seemingly impossible task and passed all his expectations with flying colours. He’d proved that, not only could people desire him, but he was also a valuable member of the band. He wasn’t just a helpful tool who could play music, but a vital member who had contributed to the band’s success. He'd got them to Rift Fest! His imposter syndrome had evaporated. He had come to terms with the fact that people liked to look at him. It still bothered him that he couldn’t publicly come out, but he was sure, with time, he could prove Ezreal wrong. As far as he could glean from their fans, they liked the idea of the band sleeping with each other in their own fantasy scenarios. So, what if he actually liked men? Isn’t that what they wanted? If, in some sort of fantastical scenario, he had the opportunity to have a sex life, he wasn’t letting fan or bandmate get in the way. He’d already achieved so much! Why couldn’t he try?

After rehearsing older songs and choosing the graphics for their stage, their work steadily decreased in the run up to Rift Fest. However, the stress of preparation was swiftly replaced by a palpable sense of anxiety. Ezreal had showed Aphelios some videos of past Rift Fests and it was evident that he’d not quite grasped the sheer scale of what one of these festivals was like. There were so many people. So many faces that one blurred into the next when you stood on the stage. And the noise! So many of the clips recorded on phones just blared with noise from every direction – Aphelios didn’t know how anyone heard the music over the shouting of the crowds. It looked so packed that he was surprised people didn’t get trampled. Maybe they did. It all seemed like a lot, more noise, more people, more everything that even their gigs on tour. He was worried he might be overwhelmed.

“If in doubt, just stick to the bus when not performing,” Ezreal told him, “You can watch the performances live on TV, you don’t have to go mingle or anything.”

Yet Aphelios’ anxiety about Rift Fest was only compounded by the fact that Alune wasn’t going. Admittedly, it would have been hard for her to navigate the bus. However, if she had really wanted to come, he would have persuaded Ezreal to hire a different one. But she’d turned down the idea before the nature of the bus had even been brought up.

“I’d be exhausted just being there,” she explained, “I do really want to watch your set, but I’ve read about festivals. The sheer amount of noise, the having to queue for ages for everything, the fact you are constantly pushing through other people. Just the atmosphere even… I’d end up sleeping through it all and they’d be no point in me being there.”

 _“Are you going to watch us on TV?”_ Aphelios asked, fighting back the sudden spike of nerves and sadness that came with her explanation.

“Of course!” she said, “I’ll be glued to the TV… or the laptop, they’re streaming it all live after all! And you better call me every morning and evening…oh, and before and after you perform. I need to know how you’re doing.”

He nodded to everything she said. It was pretty much the same protocol as every trip he went on without her.

“Oh,” Alune continued, pulling out her phone, “And as your manager, I insist you take me along to this whole-band shopping trip Ezreal keeps messaging the group chat about. That I think I can manage, and I can help you guys out as a neutral party. You always need an extra pair of eyes when choosing an outfit for a big event like this.”

Aphelios was glad that he could include her somewhat in their Rift Fest journey – even if it was just a trip out for clothing. He highly doubted her ability to be neutral – she tended to compliment him whatever he wore, but he was grateful enough that he didn’t comment. It didn’t surprise the others when Alune was also there, waiting for Ezreal’s limo to take them to the shopping centre of Ezreal and Vladimir’s choice. The twins had no idea where they were going, but they had already discussed it was probably going to be somewhere ludicrously fancy. If Vladimir deigned to buy clothes rather than getting them tailored, the shop had to be somewhere special.

They weren’t wrong. They pulled up inside the “VIP Parking Area” of a luxury department store that had armed security outside. There was a red carpet, better suited to movie premier than a mall, outside and as soon as they were in, they were being offered refreshments and glasses of fizz. Aphelios didn’t know how he felt about drinking lemonade around so many expensive things, but he enjoyed the fact that Alune was clearly loving the VIP treatment. He did secretly make sure she was only going to have the one glass of champagne – keen not to reveal her deep-seated need to fight people in front of the department store staff. Vladimir and Ezreal took this all in stride, as if meeting the manager of an upper-class department store and personally being given a tour was no big deal. The manager in fact thanked them for allowing other customers to be in the store with them whilst they shopped, which only brought to light the fact that turning everyone else away was an option. The department store was nothing like any they’d been in before. They’d thought the place they’d got their suits was fancy. Yet this one had a champagne and oyster bar. Every range of clothing, jewellery, perfume, everything was from a high-end luxury brand. The store didn’t even have its own range of anything. It was an emporium of opulence.

 _“I don’t think you’d find anything in here for less than a hundred pounds_ ,” Alune signed at him as they were led around the shoe gallery, “ _Maybe one earring. This is…a lot.”_

The manager introduced them to a small team of shop assistants who would help them today. Aphelios couldn’t help but notice that two of the assistants were using sign language. Had they specifically sought out members of staff who knew BSL so he could ask them questions? Alune was right. This was a lot. After half an hour of looking at designer jeans, Aphelios was beginning to feel a little sick. Most of these pairs of trousers cost more than he used to make in a month. More than several weeks of groceries combined!

 _“I can’t spend this much on one pair of jeans_ ,” he told Alune. However, before she could reply, one of the shop assistants stepped in.

“Every pair on the rail before you comes with a lifetime guarantee! If your pair becomes unwearable for any reason, the manufacturer will send you another pair to replace them. You won’t be paying for one pair of jeans; you’ll be paying for a lifetime’s worth in one transaction!”

“Yes, what she said,” Vladimir sighed, a pair of wine-red skinny jeans in each hand, “These aren’t just clothes, these are investments.”

“ _I have perfectly good jeans_ ,” Aphelios gesturing at the perfectly good jeans he was currently wearing, “ _I got these for our last tour. They were reduced to sixty pounds!”_

“And they’re really nice,” Ezreal assured him, “Well worth the investment. Levi’s are a classic. Just, we’ve got to step it up a notch for Rift Fest. We’re going to be on live TV broadcast around the world, and online, and in front of thousands of people in the audience.”

“Also don’t forget some of your greatest assets lay below the waist,” Vladimir commented, “As Ezreal is so often keen to remind you, your legs and backside do need proper emphasis.”

 _“I can’t spend this much on one piece of clothing!”_ Aphelios was adamant, even as the shop clerks giggled behind them at Vladimir’s comment.

“But look at these!” Ezreal exclaimed, holding up a pair of ultra-skinny “skin-fit” black trousers, “You would look so good in these!”

Aphelios stared at them. They were really nice jeans. The button, studs and stitching were exactly the same colour as the denim so they didn’t stand out at all. If he wore those it would be like wearing a seamless pair of thick black tights – just with pockets. Of course, everything looked good until you saw the price.

 _“I’m not spending hundreds of pounds on jeans!”_ he repeated.

“Fine!” Ezreal threw his unoccupied hand into the air in mock-defeat, “You’re trying these on and I’m buying them for you then!”

 _“No!”_ Aphelios shook his head and frowned for further emphasis.

“Alright, we’ll split it between us,” Vladimir added, “And as a reward for our sheer generosity, we get to see you in them first.”

“You’ll look great I promise,” Ezreal said, tone full of determination.

Aphelios glanced at Alune, hoping she would back him up on this.

“It’s not like we don’t have the money,” she reasoned. Aphelios stared at her.

 _“That’s more than we spend on utilities in a year!”_ he told her.

“You’ll get jeans for a lifetime,” she reasoned back, “And they’re paying for it, so why not?”

He let out a silent sigh of defeat.

“Alright, you’re out-voted!” Ezreal piped up, “Aphelios is wearing the jeans!”

He picked out three different sizes and handed them to the shop assistant.

“Please add these to Phel’s collection to try on later.”

“Of course!” The shop assistant hurried away with over a grand’s worth of jeans in her hands, much to Aphelios’ increasing dismay. He couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, even though he felt perfectly justified in protesting spending this much money on a single outfit. Sure, this might be normal to Vladimir and Ezreal, who were likely both millionaires, but he and Alune remembered what it was like to make the most of every penny. Why shouldn’t he object to spending so much on something that seemed so frivolous? Yet everyone was acting like he was being the drama queen. So, he repressed his anger, his disgust, like he repressed so many other things in the past, and just tried to enjoy himself with the others. He ended up agreeing to buy his own shirt and waistcoat but he purposefully found things he wear another time. He couldn’t just spend all this money for one occasion.

Yet, even buying a shirt came with its own surprises. Finally, after being led around the whole shop, they got to try on everything they’d picked up. Ezreal and Vladimir had whole racks to try on whilst Aphelios had limited himself to a few shirts, of which he’d get only one, and a few accessories, again, he was only having one. Alune was escorted off to look in the ladies’ sections whilst they spent rather a long time in the fitting room. Well, the other two spent a long time in the fitting room. Apparently, they felt no shame in coming out of their fitting room shirtless to get an opinion on their belt plus trousers combination. Yes, Aphelios did try on the jeans. Yes, they were very formfitting. Yes, Ezreal did whistle at him when they made him do a catwalk up and down the fitting room area. No, he still wasn’t happy about it. However, he kept the jeans on when decided on the rest of the outfit and came up with an ensemble he liked and could wear another time. He showed it to the others and once he’d got their seal of approval, he decided he was done. Or so he thought.

“Put the clothing you want in the blue basket,” Vladimir told him, “And go ask the clerk about your measurements.”

Aphelios frowned slightly.

_“Measurements?”_

“Yes, they need to take your measurements so they can get the clothes fitted,” Ezreal supplied helpfully, “You know, so they really look good.”

_“They’re modifying these clothes?”_

“You can’t just wear them off the rack,” Vladimir sighed, as if he was explaining something very simple to an idiot, “Anyone could do that. The rich and famous always get their clothes fitted. Why do you think people look so exceptionally good on the front of magazines wearing clothes anyone could buy?”

Aphelios didn’t know how to feel about that. He didn’t read any magazines but he couldn’t help but wonder if Vladimir and Ezreal had been wearing fitted clothing all this time whilst he’d been unawares. Instead of thinking about that too hard, he went to get measured. Even after that was done, his bandmates were still trying on their mountain of clothing, so he was left to sit outside and make the occasional observation whenever they emerged.

He sat there for what felt like ages, sipping on free drinks, whilst Ezreal and Vladimir played dress up. He considered phoning Alune so he had someone to talk to, but he didn’t want to interrupt her VIP shopping experience. If he was getting some ludicrously expensive clothes, then it was only fair she got something too. Thank goodness they had all that money from Demacia Vice, otherwise this frivolous spending would give him more of a headache than it already was. Just as the temptation to call her grew too much, she emerged like his guardian angel, ready to save him from this tedium. With her were three shop assistants who were eagerly looking at pictures on her phone. Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder what was so entertaining on there, but wasn’t going to interrupt their fun. One of the clerks was holding a thick white cardigan with silver filigree style detailing knitted into the sleeves. It looked very soft, very warm and exactly like the sort of thing his sister would wear. She also had a small basket hanging off the arm of her chair containing a small purple box.

“Phel! You’ll never guess what we found!” Alune exclaimed as they saw him sitting outside the changing rooms.

The clerk who had been standing behind Alune’s chair stepped forward with what looked like an entire bundle of clothing in a basket. She passed it to Alune to promptly took out the first item - a long pair of deep purple pyjama trousers patterned with tiny silver stars and comets.

“Look at these!” Alune exclaimed, “They’re perfect for you!”

She held up the shirt that went with the pyjama bottoms – also purple but with a white bunny rabbit, patterned with stars, peeking out of the breast pocket.

“The bunny is so cute and…” Alune thrust the third item of clothing at him with great relish.

“Look! A matching pyjama hoodie if you get cold on that bus! It’s so soft!”

Aphelios held out the hoodie. It was indeed incredibly soft, made of silver-white fleece with large quilted pockets to put your hands in on cold nights. The hood was just as fluffy, but he couldn’t help but notice the long equally-fleecy additions.

“It has bunny ears!” Alune exclaimed as soon as he held them out, “You’re going to look so cute!”

She clapped her hands together in delight as the clerks smiled and giggled amongst themselves. Aphelios had the distinct impression they and his sister were conspiring against him. He took the pyjamas from her and felt them – they were very soft and extremely well made. He was slightly surprised that they’d found men’s pyjamas with a bunny rabbit on, but there were some peculiar brands here.

“What are those?” came a cry from the changing room. Ezreal poked his head out, wearing a lurid shirt in shades of orange and blue. Aphelios showed him the pyjamas and he immediately started laughing.

“Hey Vlad! Come see what Alune found for Phel to wear!”

Vladimir came out, half-dressed in a pair of red suit trousers and gave the bunny pyjamas a once over. He put one hand on his hip and frowned.

“You are never going to entice a man into your bedchambers wearing those.”

“Hey!” Alune interjected, “This isn’t about being sexy, this is being about being comfy and cute!”

“Yeah, but we’re trying to get Phel laid!” Ezreal replied, “Didn’t you see the plan in Messenger?”

 _“The what?”_ Aphelios asked them, “ _What plan? What are you doing?”_

“Don’t worry about it,” Ezreal assured him, his voice a little too high-pitched, “It’s nothing!”

“Just do yourself a favour,” Vladimir drawled, “Put those back before any more fans see us.”

“You guys are so rude,” Alune huffed, “What’s wrong with a big sis wanting her baby brother to look adorable!”

 _“You’re a few minutes older than me_ ,” Aphelios reminded her, but she ignored him.

“Not every outfit has to be about looking sexy! He can dress for himself you know.”

“You saw his Demacia Vice performance!” Ezreal retorted, also ignoring Aphelios completely, “We’re trying to help!”

 _“I don’t need any help!”_ Aphelios objected, wishing to be included in the conversation about himself.

“Yes, you do,” Vladimir added.

 _“No, I don’t!”_ Aphelios replied, _“I’m not so naïve I can’t….”_

He looked at the bunny pyjamas in his arms. All his frustration at this shopping experience was boiling up inside of him. The bottle he’d repressed his feelings into had been shaken and was ready to burst.

 _“I’m getting these pyjamas!”_ he proclaimed, _“And I’m wearing them to Rift Fest!”_

“Yes!” Alune exclaimed punching the air, “Alune one, Posh Boys zero!”

Aphelios felt somewhat rebellious packing the bunny pyjamas into his case for Rift Fest. He couldn’t be out of that department store fast enough, though he was happy that Alune had enjoyed the trip. She’d got a new cardigan out of the trip, and they’d given her a pair of diamond earrings for free after Uninhibited spent so much money in store. Aphelios didn’t dare take his new clothes off their hangers or out of their clothes bags until he was ready to wear them. He hung them up in the bus as soon as they started hauling their luggage on. It was exactly the same bus as their first tour, and they claimed their previous beds. Vladimir produced a tiny hourglass on a plastic suction cup and stuck it to the dial of the shower.

“What’s that for?” asked Ezreal. Vladimir and Aphelios exchanged a knowing look.

It was only a few hours to Rift Fest yet with every passing mile, Ezreal’s excitement became even more palpable. He gasped at every sign post to the event site. He was glued to the official Twitter feed and relayed everything he read there out loud. Aphelios noticed that he’d chosen to wear a True Damage t-shirt for the trip to the festival. Vladimir had already called Ezreal a fan-boy on multiple occasions, but Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder what Ezreal would actually do if they came face to face with that band. He’d met their fans and Ezreal wasn’t acting that differently. Would he scream? Faint? Make a high-pitched noise that upset nearby dogs? 

It didn’t seem like Ezreal was getting near True Damage anytime soon. Not only were True Damage headlining on Saturday evening, and they were on in the afternoon. They also couldn’t be further from where True Damage had parked their tour bus in the prime location reserved for headliners. Their hitch was right on the edge of the performers’ campsite, right next to the fence and patch of trees that marked the outer boundary. Not only could they not see the big acts’ residences, but they didn’t have much of a view out over the fields or festival. As soon as they were parked up, and the driver said his goodbyes to go stay in a nearby hotel, they realised how blocked in they were. To one side was the chain metal fence, interwoven with trees and thick leafy bushes. Behind their bus was a large metal demountable on stilts made of steel girders. The windows were boarded up and it didn’t seem to be in use. In front of them, was another tour bus. Well, it was technically a tour bus. Aphelios wasn’t sure if ‘bus’ was the right term for it.

“Look at that thing!” Ezreal exclaimed, poking his head out the window, “That’s not a bus, that’s a travelling hotel!”

Their vehicle was impressive, but it was nothing compared to the monster parked up next door. The enormous coach was a sleek metallic black all over, with tinted windows so, try as he might, Ezreal could not peek inside. It was two storeys high with a curved front on the topmost layer, much like a modern double-decker bus. Along the side of the vehicle was a series of spiked letters spelling out the word – **DOMINATION**.

“Who are they?” Ezreal gasped, pressed up against their window.

“A hardcore rock band,” Vladimir commented, “With seven musicians. They are currently on their European tour, thus the enormous traveling accommodation.”

 _“Are you a fan?”_ asked Aphelios.

Vladimir shrugged.

“I admire their aesthetic.”

“Ah, so they’re super goth,” Ezreal replied, “Hmm, hopefully they’re chill neighbours.”

They didn’t see anyone coming in or out of the Domination bus, but they weren’t paying the most attention to what was going on next door. They had stocked up on plenty of meals and snacks they could make on a stove or microwave. They decided to have a chill evening ahead of the excitement starting tomorrow. Rift Fest took place over three days, starting Friday and ending Sunday night, with the campsites emptying on the Monday morning. With their performance being on Saturday, they had the whole of Friday to enjoy themselves. Ezreal had already drafted himself a schedule of who he was going to see when. Aphelios, whose only plan was not to go out there alone, agreed to go around with him. Vladimir declared he had his own plans and disappeared immediately after breakfast on Friday. A quick glance at his Instagram told the other two that Vladimir had arranged his very own fan meet-up, for people who were fans of specifically him. Sighing at this display of ego, Aphelios was rather glad he’d chosen to accompany Ezreal.

Even though the biggest artists were performing on Saturday and Sunday, the Friday crowd was still immense. Ezreal ended up taking Aphelios’ hand so they didn’t lose each other in the crowd. There were five main stages – Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. The first few acts on each were indie bands and lesser known artists, to get the crowds warmed up before they were bombarded with a wall of noise. Ezreal took Aphelios to see some of his favourite lesser-known singer-songwriters. They stood in the growing crowds, watching simple sets of one person with a guitar. Aphelios rather liked the Friday morning. There weren’t enough people for it to be claustrophobic and the performers were very humble. The queue to buy overpriced halloumi burgers was manageable and they had a nice time meeting a few fans who recognised the rogue members of Uninhibited. Then the afternoon came. More people had arrived and the crowds were swiftly becoming rowdy as drink started to flow. The noise level was steadily increasing. Ezreal dragged him towards the Diamond Stage as the afternoon wore on. They ended up right against the railings of the stage area, waiting for the next band as the previous crowd wandered away.

“ _Who’s next?”_ Aphelios asked Ezreal.

“This is going to be wicked!” Ezreal proclaimed, bouncing on his heels in excitement, “And we’re right at the front too!”

Aphelios looked up to see two stage hands hauling an enormous semi-circular keyboard onto the stage. The keyboard and stand were adorned with chains and enormous spikes. Aphelios stared at it, wondering who would have such a dangerous and excessive looking instrument. Next was an enormous drum-kit, similarly adorned with jangling chains and a seat shaped like a spiked throne.

 _“Why are those…like that_?” he asked Ezreal.

“It’s Pentakill!” Ezreal exclaimed, “Not usually my cup of tea but their shows are just so awesome! You have to see them live once in your life!”

Aphelios had only heard of Pentakill from Ezreal’s excited rambling about Rift Fest. From their extravagant instruments, he could tell they planned to put on a show. As the crowd gathered for the coming performance, Aphelios glanced back to see everyone pushing up behind them. He was about to comment on how busy it was getting, when his gaze alit upon a glimmer of silver in the crowd. The silver was coming towards them in the form of an incredibly tall woman with platinum blond hair, only a little more silver than Alune’s. It was perhaps the resemblance to his sister that had attracted Aphelios’ attention. However, as he got a better look at the woman coming towards them, his heart suddenly dropped. She didn’t just resemble Alune in hair colour… The woman was covered in silver tattoos. The full moon was tattooed across her forehead, just like the silver disc across Alune’s face. Her arms were covered in similar designs to his own – except she was inked in silver and black rather than his lesser purple and blue. His breath caught into his throat as she drew ever closer. He in turn stood closer to Ezreal hoping the Lunari woman hadn’t noticed him. Yet, it seemed he hoped in vain. She wasn’t just walking towards him. She was walking to him.

“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!” roared a man on stage, making Aphelios jump.

“And Everyone Who’s Neither!” Ezreal yelled back, but his voice was lost to the din of the crowd as everyone suddenly surged forward. The Lunari woman was buffeted back and forth in the crowd as audience stampeded forward, placing a solid wall of bodies between Aphelios and her. To his relief, Aphelios turned his attention back to the stage.

“ARE YOU READY FOR THE MAIN EVENT!” yelled the man, who seemed to be an announcer rather than part of the band. He certainly wasn’t dressed to match the instruments. There was a mighty roar from the crowd that made Aphelios jump again. It was just so loud. He was sure he could feel the ground shake beneath his feet.

“WELL, YOU’VE BEEN KEPT WAITING LONG ENOUGH!” the announcer continued, “GET READY TO SCREAM YOUR HEARTS OUT. IT’S…. **PENTAKILL**!”

There was a loud boom and a sudden shower of sparks. Aphelios clutched his head as Ezreal began screaming at the top of his lungs. The stage was flooded with smoke, accompanied by flashes of strobe lighting and the sound of lightning. Ezreal had promised him a show but he wasn’t expecting this. They certainly hadn’t been given the option of pyrotechnics on the Silver Stage. Let alone a smoke machine, or strobe lighting… His head rang as the opening notes from an electric guitar rang out of the speakers not too far from their feet. Every part of him was certain that this was too much, too loud, and the first song had only just begun. He shook from head to toe with the sheer amount of noise as the members of Pentakill took the stage. The people behind them were pushing them against the barrier. He was repeatedly slammed into the metal as more people tried to get to the front.

No. No. He hated this. Too much noise. Too many people. He grabbed Ezreal’s sleeve to get his attention.

“What is it?” Ezreal signed to him. There was no way Aphelios would be able to hear his voice over the music or crowd.

 _“It’s too loud_ ,” Aphelios told him, _“I’m going back to the bus.”_

“Ok!” Ezreal replied, “You can probably catch them on TV!”

Scanning the crowd for the Lunari woman as he went, Aphelios pushed his way towards the side of the Diamond Stage’s audience area. He used the side fence as a guide, holding onto it so the force of people stamping on the ground didn’t knock him over. A third the way through the sea of bodies, he caught the attention of two guards who asked him whether he was feeling sick. He nodded and they helped him out over the fence. With one look at his Performer’s wristband, they pointed him off in the direction of the campsite. He nodded and signed his thanks before trying to take calm steps in that direction.

Halfway back through Rift Fest, far enough that the Pentakill set was only a distant thump behind him, he realised how much of a waste going back to the bus now would be. He bit his lip as he remembered his resolution not to go anywhere alone. However, he didn’t want to go to Vladimir’s Ego Fest and he certainly wasn’t going back to the Diamond Stage. He found a map of the festival attached to a pair of wooden stakes. It showed the location of every stage and all the places to obtain food and drink. Not only that though, there was something called the “Craft Village” on the opposite side of the festival to the performers’ area. Aphelios frowned at it, wondering what a Craft Village was in the context of a music festival. It certainly didn’t sound like it would be as loud as the music, so he could go and check it out. Maybe it was just a nice place to do some arts and crafts? He certainly hoped so.

Aphelios crossed Rift Fest, weaving through groups of people, many of whom stared at him as if wondering if they’d seen him before somewhere. He ignored all curious glances in favour of following signs to the Craft Village. He paused momentarily to consult another map, just to make sure he was going the right way. As he realised that he needed to be a bit further left, he turned, only to realise he was being watched. The same silver haired woman was standing, holding a plastic cup of beer, in the shadows of a nearby marquee. She was dressed entirely in black leather, which certainly wasn’t traditional Lunari attire as far as he knew, but…well, there were sects other than the one he and Alune had belonged to. Aphelios’ eyes widened as their gazes met. No! No, he wasn’t going back. He wasn’t getting involved again!

His casual walk turned into a hurried jog. He tried to lose himself in the crowd around a hotdog stand but she took only a moment to pinpoint his location. Aphelios’ jog turned into a run, speeding towards the Craft Village, wondering whether it would be impolite to hide in one of the porter-loos he passed. No sooner had he passed through the ribboned arch proclaiming this area to be the Craft Village, then he saw something else that made his chest burn with panic. The Craft Village was indeed an area full of arts and crafts stalls selling handmade goods. However, as soon as you entered the so-called village, you couldn’t miss the black tent painted with phases of the moon. The pair of men selling leather goods at the stall were also white-haired and had crescents on their faces. 

Head full of profanity and chest full of fear, Aphelios turned on his heels just in time to see the silver-haired woman approaching the Craft Village entrance. With Lunari both ahead and behind him, Aphelios could feel the sweat starting to drip from his brow. No. No. NO. Pushing his body more than he’d done in years, he summoned every last bit of strength he had and bolted out of the Craft Village as fast as his legs could take him. He zoomed past the Lunari woman, who seemed taken aback by just how terrified he was. He didn’t look back to see if she was chasing after him. He just kept on going. One foot before the other, willing himself to just go faster, faster, faster with all his might. He didn’t give any attention to his surroundings, cutting through groups, tearing through crowds, barely stopping to show his wristband at the entrance to the Performers’ Area. He didn’t stop running until he was forced to fumble for his key to get back into the bus. Thankfully, there was already someone inside.

“You are a state!” Vladimir exclaimed, opening the door and ushering him inside. Aphelios bypassed the steps and leapt inside, discarding his shoes before racing right to the back of the bus and straight into his bed.

“What happened?” Vladimir called after him. Aphelios pulled the covers over his head and tried to get his breathing under control. It wasn’t easy.

He heard the sound of the fridge opening and shutting, followed by footsteps. The weight shifted at the bottom of his bed and a long-nailed hand snuck under the covers to offer him a bottle of water. He took it, sitting up a little so he could drink without making a mess of himself.

“What happened?” Vladimir asked, his voice much softer than usual. He waited patiently for Aphelios to finish drinking before helping him put the cap back on – his hands too shaky to manage to the screw-top lid. Aphelios wrestled with his breathing for a moment before signing their name, then realised Vladimir wouldn’t know secret religious hand signals and opted to spell out the name instead.

“Lu…Lunari?” Vladimir repeated, “That’s the cult you and your sister grew up in, correct?”

Aphelios nodded frantically.

“They’re here?” Vladimir continued; his voice still soft but his eyes full of alarm.

Aphelios continued to nod.

“ _Can’t go back_ ,” he managed to sign, his fingers trembling, “ _Can’t. Won’t. Not again_.”

“We won’t let them find you,” Vladimir promised, swiftly becoming grave, “I admit I know the signs to look for. When Ezreal mentioned your past, I did some research. The Lunari do not seem like a hostile organisation. Their message is one of peace, of protection, but they have evidently hurt you.”

“ _The religion is not bad_ ,” Aphelios attempted, not in the mood to get into details, “ _Most of the people are not bad either. The modern, normal, people are not bad. But… but… the traditionalists. We grew up with…old traditions.”_

He rolled up his sleeve and showed Vladimir the scars across his upper arms. Vladimir let out a hiss between his teeth.

“Were those made with a belt?” he asked.

Once again, Aphelios nodded.

 _“Can’t go back,”_ he repeated, “ _Can’t let them get Alune. I…I am probably not making any sense Vlad, but I can’t.”_

“No, no, I understand,” Vladimir assured him, “There are points in my life I would rather die than return to. I understand.”

Aphelios stared at him. The sheer seriousness in his voice coupled with a gentle tone…it was like he knew. No…He did know. 

“Would you like me to call your sister for you?” Vladimir offered.

Aphelios shook his head. He’d just send Alune into a panic if he told her who he’d seen out there.

“Do you want to make popcorn and watch Rift Fest on the television?” Vladimir offered instead.

 _“Don’t you want to watch them in person?”_ Aphelios asked, not wanting to deprive Vladimir of the ‘true’ festival experience.

“Oh god no,” Vladimir huffed, sounding a bit more like his usual self, “Me in the middle of a dirty sweaty crowd…and not even the fun sort of sweaty? I’d much rather experience live music with the comfort of soft pillows, unlimited refreshment and plentiful air-conditioning. Also, at least in here I can control the volume.”

Aphelios managed a small smile at that.

Vladimir’s plan for the afternoon proved a whole lot more pleasant than what Aphelios had experienced of Rift Fest so far. They pulled out the TV from where it retracted into the side cupboards and made a fresh bowl of popcorn in the microwave. Then, sat on the edge of Aphelios’ bed, they proceeded to watch several sets from beginning to end, flicking between stages with the interactive coverage provided on TV.

“So, how are you feeling about our performance tomorrow?” asked Vladimir, stretching a little as they finished another set. They’d been watching a male solo singer who they both agreed was definitely a ten. However, there was only so many love songs you could endure in an hour, and therefore it was time for a break.

“ _Nervous,”_ Aphelios admitted, “ _I know it’s less people that the audience of Demacia Vice, but it’s a lot of people physically in front of us all screaming.”_

“I imagine it’s more peaceful on the stage than in the crowd,” Vladimir reasoned, “But yes, even I am a little anxious about how this might go. This is a height I didn’t expect us to reach so soon.”

Aphelios felt a little guilty that he’d ruined Vladimir’s plan – if he indeed had one.

 _“Would you feel better if we practiced a bit beforehand?”_ he offered, knowing that Vladimir liked to be up and about doing things if he wasn’t surrounded by admirers to take his mind of things.

“Would you like to?” Vladimir replied.

Aphelios nodded.

“Hmm, well it wouldn’t hurt to go over the basics once more.” Vladimir got to his feet.

What Aphelios had anticipated to be a dance rehearsal, turned out to be a reiteration of Vladimir’s sex appeal lessons. However, it was all useful information and he had forgotten a few things. It certainly kept them amused until Ezreal returned, looking sweaty but ecstatic, and barricaded himself into the shower. As they had dinner that evening, they noticed a lot of noise coming from the enormous bus next door. A steady train of stagehands, and large black-clad figures were coming in and out of Domination’s bus and heading back towards the festival proper.

“They must be a late-night headliner,” Ezreal commented, “What stage do you reckon they’re on?”

“Diamond,” said Vladimir, “Their set begins at nine.”

“Do you want to go watch?” asked Ezreal. Vladimir shook his head.

“Oh, I’ll catch up on the television when we get back. I think we all need our beauty sleep ahead of our big day tomorrow.”

That seemed sensible enough that even Ezreal agreed not to run back outside and partake in more Rift Fest madness. As promised, Aphelios phoned Alune before he went to bed and she wished them all good luck. She promised that she had their performance set to record at home, so he wanted to see what he looked like on TV, it would be ready for them when they got back. She, of course, would be watching live.

The following morning, they allowed themselves a lie-in before it was all hands-on deck getting ready for their one pm slot. Vladimir had put their usual stylists up in a nearby hotel so they turned up at the bus late morning to help them get ready. Aphelios donned his incredibly expensive performance outfit, trying to forget about every price and label, before submitting himself to hair and make-up. Once they were thoroughly groomed, the organisers came and fetched them from their bus, giving them a security escort towards the Silver Stage. As they walked between their bus and their neighbours’, Aphelios spotted a man getting out of their way. It looked like he had been sat on a black plastic lawn chair outside Domination’s bus. He had a large black laptop in one hand and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on the end of his nose. Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder if he was Domination’s manager. He looked to be in his late forties, maybe a bit older, with stern chiselled features and grey hair. As Uninhibited passed, he raised an eyebrow at them. Vladimir blew him a kiss, prompting Ezreal and Aphelios to exchange a confused look.

 _“Do you know who he is?”_ Aphelios asked as soon as they were out of sight of the man.

 _“No idea,”_ Ezreal signed back, “ _I think Vlad’s just getting into character.”_

They were led backstage where their instruments had already preceded them. The previous band, a girlband Aphelios didn’t recognise, were just done packing up as they arrived. Ezreal promptly began gushing over them until Vladimir cleared his throat loudly and pointed at Ezreal’s bass. He pulled himself together, not until after he got autographs from all five singers, and then joined in with the following sound check. Aphelios could already hear the crowds outside. Occasionally someone would yell one of their names followed by a proclamation of love or that person being the best. Aphelios tried to focus on the task at hand his nerves grew with every passing moment. Even Ezreal wasn’t being quite so bouncy as one pm grew near. With fifteen minutes to go, Alune rang. She wished them all good luck and told Aphelios he was going to be fantastic. Then, he was forced to turn his phone off and leave it back stage. It was showtime.

They were met by a wall of noise as soon as they set foot on stage. As promised, the Silver Stage was decorated with five enormous panel-like screens. They took their place in front of three of them, where their mics and instruments had been set out. Vladimir instantly seized his mic off the stand and addressed the crowd.

“Good afternoon Rift Fest,” he said, his tone sultry, “Some of you might have come here today expecting a different group on this stage. I’m so sorry that you got stood up.”

There was a series of whoops and cheers from the crowd. This intro was certainly different to the usual yelling Aphelios had seen on television yesterday.

“Well don’t worry your lovely little heads about it,” Vladimir continued, “You’ve got a date with Uninhibited now and we _never_ leave our dates unsatisfied _.”_

That was their cue. Heart pounding, Aphelios raised his guitar and struck the first few notes of “Chase Me” The crowd screamed as the screens burst into life behind them. The sheer brightness directly behind him cast the rest of the stage, and the front rows of the crowd, in sharp relief. Everything beyond them was just a blur. Remembering everything he’d gone over with Vladimir, Aphelios made sure to look both the front roads and over the crowd. He mostly focussed on the music however, as Vladimir made out with his mic stand.

**Chase Me, I’m yours**

**Leave your inhibitions at the doors**

**This is just a taste of what’s in store**

**So chase me, chase me!**

His heart didn’t stop racing all the way through their hour-long set. The audience screamed at every new song, at every action they made on stage, at every time one band member looked at them. Some people just didn’t seem to stop screaming. Vladimir had been right; it was a lot better up here than being surrounded by the crowd. By about the twenty-minute mark, Aphelios could feel himself relax slightly, able to get into the groove of some of their newer tracks that required a much greater stage presence. They had borrowed the dark and light aesthetic from their video for Too Sweet, so when they did the few dances – mostly footwork – that they’d planned, their dark or light selves mirrored them on the screens behind them. Vladimir, not encumbered by a guitar, did most of the jumping and twirling, feeding off the crowd’s energy as he belted out song after song. He got through three bottles of water between tracks and seemed slightly grateful when Ezreal backed him up on the tracks from their second album. Aphelios was more concerned about where his feet were going than staying hydrated. He made sure to smile at the crowd and move his hips when required, strutting up and down the stage to duet on guitar with Ezreal as Vladimir poured another cup of water over and down himself. 

By the time they got to “Too Sweet”, Aphelios truly felt what it was like to be a popstar. Popstars, it turned out, came away from their performances feeling exhausted but utterly exhilarated. He couldn’t help but smile as they gave their final bows and were ushered off stage. As soon as they were out of sight, Ezreal gave a rather hoarse scream before leaping in for a group hug.

“We did it!” he cried, “We did Rift Fest!”

“We-we did,” gasped Vladimir, whose voice sounded extremely sore. Aphelios went over to his bag for the thermos flasks full of honey and lemon he’d prepared for them earlier. They accepted them grateful, easing their painful throats as they helped pack up their instruments.

“How was that?” Ezreal asked as he hoisted his bagged bass over his shoulder.

“ _Amazing,”_ Aphelios replied, _“Terrifying, but amazing.”_

He could barely believe they’d just done that. If he wasn’t still shaking with adrenaline, if the crowd weren’t still screaming for them, he would’ve thought this a very bizarre dream.

“We’re real stars now!” Ezreal exclaimed, “This year Silver…next year headlining!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Vladimir croaked, “Let’s get back to the bus. I am gross.”

Despite also being incredibly sweaty, Aphelios was happy to let his bandmates get first dibs on the shower. He phoned Alune as promised as Ezreal took the first turn. He insisted he had to be changed and ready for True Damage’s set later, and that meant being at the stage hours in advance. Despite any misgivings, they therefore let him clean up first. Aphelios sat down in their little kitchen area for his call, not waiting to dirty his bed, before calling his sister.

“OH MY GOD THAT WAS AMAZING!”

Alune didn’t even let him sign a hello.

“I AM STILL BUZZING THAT WAS SO COOL!”

Thankfully Aphelios was used to screaming by now. He noticed she had put on her new designer cardigan and earrings to watch the performance – perhaps to match their stage outfits.

“HOW WAS IT? I CAN’T BELIEVE MY BROTHER WAS AT RIFT FEST!”

 _“Scary but really good. It was like being a celebrity,”_ he replied, _“All those people were there to see us.”_

“You are a celebrity silly!” she said, seemingly having regained her composure, “It’s because they love what you do! And you specifically too, don’t forget you wouldn’t even be there if not for you.”

“She is right,” Vladimir chipped in from the kettle, “Use this as a means to bolster your confidence, you have my permission.”

“You don’t need his permission,” Alune assured him, “You go out there and enjoy yourself. You earned it! Just don’t take any suspicious white powders and don’t get too wasted!”

 _“I’m not going to do drugs,”_ Aphelios promised her, “ _Or get too drunk. I don’t think I’m going to any parties.”_

“Aw come on,” said Ezreal, who had emerged from the bathroom only wearing a towel, “You have to go to at least one party. Or at least come see True Damage with me!”

 _“I don’t like the crowds,”_ Aphelios reminded him.

“You don’t have to!” Ezreal told him gleefully, “I got us a table in the VIP lounge for True Damage’s slot! I want it to be extra special when I see them so close!”

“Oh sweet!” exclaimed Alune, “Come on, go do that Phel!”

Thoroughly outvoted, he agreed. Vladimir pulled him aside before they got up to brave the festival once more. Ezreal, wearing a different True Damage shirt, had already charged on ahead, leaving the other two free to talk uninterrupted.

“If you see anyone that causes you alarm,” Vladimir murmured, “Let me know instantly. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing or who I’m talking to. I will take you back to the bus and stay there until you feel safe.”

Aphelios felt a wave of gratitude well up inside him.

 _“Thank you,”_ he replied, “ _Thank you so much I…”_

For a wild moment, he felt like hugging him. Instead he offered him his hand, which Vladimir smiled at and then shook.

“Come on, let’s go see what all this fuss is about.”

The VIP Lounge turned out to be a raised marquee next to the Diamond Stage, the complete opposite side to where Aphelios and Ezreal had stood yesterday. It was clearly sponsored by a company who made vodka, because there was free vodka and vodka-based cocktails on tap as well as plenty of free food. The entirety of Uninhibited entering the tent caused quite a stir, resulting in about half an hour of people asking them to sign things and giving them more drinks. Eventually they managed to find a table with a good view of the stage and settle down. The raised nature of the ‘lounge’ meant they could look directly over the heads of the rest of the audience giving them a perfect, unbroken, line of sight. Vladimir passed Aphelios a drink that was supposed to taste like salted caramel before settling back in his chair.

“Well, I hope this turns out impressive, at least for this fanboy’s sake.”

He nudged Ezreal who looked like he might wet himself from excitement.

It was impressive. Aphelios could understand what all the hype was about the moment True Damage came on the stage. From this distance, the fireworks and strobe effects weren’t overwhelming and they were removed from the roar of the crowd. Watching True Damage was like a masterclass in everything his bandmates had tried to teach him. The band commanded the stage like it had been put there just for them. They had a whole troop of backing dancers and a glitzy golden hoop that descended from the roof of the stage for one of their singers to perform on. Overall, he preferred their songs to Pentakill’s. They were less about mass-murder and more about proving yourself to the world, which he liked. Halfway through True Damage’s first song, Vladimir passed him another drink and signed:

_“Drink every time Ezreal screams.”_

Aphelios had promised not to get too drunk, but the salted caramel vodka was both delicious and free. By the time True Damage’s set had reached the hour mark, he was feeling decidedly sleepy. His hands weren’t as coordinated as they once were but it was becoming a lot easier to take every vodka shot Vladimir gave him. Needless to say, Ezreal had not stopped screaming for some time now. This meant a lot of drinks for Aphelios and Vladimir, who moved on from salted caramel vodka to red velvet vodka, which was equally as addictive.

Ezreal suddenly gave a particularly high-pitched shriek.

“OhmygodguysIthinkEkkojustlookedatmehe’ssodreamywhatdoIdo.”

Vladimir passed him a shot, he downed it, silencing himself momentarily, before he got to his feet and joined the fans at the very edge of the VIP lounge. Aphelios merely watched as the set continued for another half an hour. Vladimir was holding his vodka much better than either of his bandmates. He gently took hold of Aphelios’ arm when it was time to go, helping him to his feet as they vacated the lounge. Aphelios now felt very tired. The alcohol seemed to have a sedative-like effect on him because he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. Part of him was glad he wasn’t an aggressive drunk like his sister, but the rest of him just really wanted a burger and a nap.

Vladimir steered his inebriated bandmates back to their bus, where they ate a very large meal to chase down all that vodka. After a lot of garlic bread, an entire salad and a burger from the nearest concession stand, Aphelios was feeling sleepy but a lot better. He had changed into his pyjamas, not intending to anywhere else today. The Performer’s Area was getting livelier as the evening progressed. There was definitely music coming from somewhere and Ezreal was constantly checking his phone with a fresh air of mounting excitement.

“True Damage are having a party at the west end of our campsite!” he exclaimed as Vladimir and Aphelios sat picking at salad.

“Yasuo’s DJ-ing and it’s sounding so good! There’s all these photos of them setting up on Twitter!”

“That sounds distinctly invite-only,” Vladimir told him, “Have you been invited?”

“No…” Ezreal sighed, before suddenly perking in, “But their head hair stylist is a fan of ours! Maybe she can get me in!”

“ _Please don’t crash their party,”_ Aphelios asked him, “ _You might get us in trouble.”_

“But, but,” Ezreal gave them puppy eyes as he clutched at his phone, “Ekko is going to be there.”

“And you haven’t been invited,” Vladimir reminded him, “We’re trying to act like we belong here, as famous musicians, not as crazy fanboys.”

Ezreal’s phone suddenly pinged loudly.

“YES!” He rocketed up from his chair, “She says if I sign a bunch of stuff, she’ll get me in! Later losers!”

Before they could so much as speak or sign a single world, he was sprinting out the door. The entrance to their bus banged shut behind him with a definite finality. Vladimir turned to look at Aphelios, looking exasperated.

 _“Maybe we should have got him one of those toddler leashes?”_ Aphelios suggested, “ _You know, those strap things you put on excited small children.”_

Vladimir burst out laughing. Perhaps he was more drunk than Aphelios had realised because he couldn’t contain himself for a good five minutes, occasionally snorting with mirth. The laughter was contagious, and though noise escaped him, Aphelios couldn’t help but grin as Vladimir banged the table with his fist.

“Oh darling, you should have said something back at home!” Vladimir cackled, “I have so many harnesses that would have fit our errant fanboy perfectly! One of them he’s already quite familiar with!”

“ _When you slept with him on New Years Eve?”_ Aphelios replied, liquid confidence meaning he didn’t even embarrass himself by asking that.

Vladimir got to his feet and crossed over to the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of red wine and two much smaller bottles of a pineapple alcopop. He put the pineapple drinks in front of Aphelios before uncorking the wine with one of his fake nails. Aphelios fetched a bottle opener for his.

“Oh please, I didn’t _just_ sleep with him,” Vladimir explained, forgoing a glass and drinking straight from the bottle, “As you’re no doubt aware, Ez and I have accounts on certain sites…”

“ _OnlyFans,”_ Aphelios interrupted.

“Not just there, but yes,” Vladimir agreed, “I don’t use such common means, I have my own web presence where people can pay me for enlightening photography. Anyway, Ez and I met through joint photoshoots, and many years ago, we decided to indulge in a little bondage theme.”

He took another swig from the bottle.

“As it turns out,” he continued slyly, “Our dear friends loves nothing more than stripping down and being dom-ed by a gorgeous gentleman like myself. Needless to say, we turned the cameras off and spend the rest of the evening in my special guest quarters… You haven’t seen them.”

Aphelios was absolutely sure he hadn’t.

“I’m sure he’d go to pieces at the feet of a powerful woman just as easily,” Vladimir continued, “But as I said, I do still have that harness if ever necessary.”

 _“I think you’d have to ask Ezreal nicely first,”_ Aphelios told him, sipping at his own drink.

“Oh of course,” Vladimir agreed, “Consent is very important. Never forget that. As my student, I expect you to appreciate and understand the true value of consent and communication in the bedroom.”

“ _Am I still your student?”_ Aphelios asked, before taking a large gulp of pleasant fizzy pineapple.

“Of course, you are,” Vladimir fussed, as if he was being ridiculous, “Come, bring your drink…and those pretzels. Class is outside today!”

With that he sauntered over to the door, stopping briefly only to grab a pair of fold out camping chairs they’d brought in case they wanted to eat outside. Aphelios followed. He was too sleepy to really argue right now and who knows, maybe drunk Vladimir had interesting things to say? It seemed too early to go bed even though they were both in their pyjamas.

“Sit!” Vladimir ordered as soon as they were outside. They had the choice of staring at Domination’s bus or the nearby bushes – they chose the bushes as the sound of partying beset them all sides. The performer’s area was swiftly becoming a festival all of its own. Aphelios could hear four different songs blasting from different directions and the sound of drumming coming from somewhere in the campsite. Coloured lights, strung between buses and around fences gave the whole area a carnival vibe and Aphelios was fairly certain he could smell barbeque. Suddenly hungry again, he ate a handful of salted pretzels.

“As your gracious mentor,” Vladimir began, lounging in a camping chair like it was a throne. Aphelios was slightly reminded of the giant portrait in his lobby. Except there was no lady here and he had a whole bottle of red wine rather than a glass.

“It has fallen to me to give you many valuable life lessons,” Vladimir continued, “You passed the first course with flying colours so first… a toast!”

He raised the wine bottle and Aphelios obediently raised his own bottle. They clinked them together.

“To Phel and his newfound ability to be hot!” Vladimir exclaimed, “Not that you weren’t easy on the eyes at first but now you know how to use it!”

 _“Thank you for your lessons,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _I wouldn’t have known what to do with you.”_

“I know darling,” Vladimir said immodestly, “I know these past few years have been so enlightening for you. I feel like your Fairy Godfather, transforming you from ever so drab to a delicious slice of pumpkin pie!”

Aphelios didn’t bother pointing out he was getting his metaphors mixed. He was really thirsty from eating all these pretzels so he just kept drinking. Who was to say he couldn’t be a delicious slice of pumpkin pie if he wanted to? He’d achieved so much recently.

“So, allow me to enlighten you further,” Vladimir continued, “This is the Vladimir Masterclass in How to be An Excellent Human Being Who Gets What He Wants. I have gathered this information from many years of…being myself. My life wasn’t always full of rare vintages and beautiful people like yourself!”

He took another swig from the bottle.

“Once upon a time, I had to fight for my very survival! A hopeless child who had to rapidly learn how speak smoothly, to talk for his very life!”

Aphelios listened, riveted, was he finally going to learn about Vladimir’s past?

“I learned then that no one in life is going to give you what you want,” Vladimir elaborated, “They may look like they will, but they’re only doing it to benefit themselves. No! To get what you want, as you want it, how you want it, you must not only master your own desires, but everyone around you!”

He gestured wildly with his free hand. Aphelios ate pretzels, enjoying the show.

“Life is all about setting your sights on a target and getting it,” Vladimir stated, “It is about single-mindedly chasing that goal, or all your goals, and fuck anyone who gets in your way! Both figurative and literally depending on what the case may be! Once you know you want something, you must do everything in your power to obtain it! Nothing is too much, too far, when the result will be your safety and happiness! Leave bodies in your wake if you must! Break limbs! Break hearts! You deserve the very best out of life and you just have to reach out and take it!”

He clenched his hand into a fist, dramatically gazing back to Aphelios through a curtain of hair.

“I was forced to start again with nothing but my name and a desperate will to survive!” he declared, “I could have so easily died, my bright future snuffed out at the tender age of sixteen. But no! I saw what I wanted and I took it by any means necessary! Power! Wealth! All can be yours if you put in the work to master your surroundings! You see something you want; you take it! You see someone you want; you take them!”

 _“With consent,”_ Aphelios added.

“Exactly!” exclaimed Vladimir, “You are such a fast learner my darling student. Never be afraid to let people know what you deserve. Never be frightened by what you want. Let it consume you and drive you onwards, towards perfection, towards mastery!”

He staggered to his feet, draining the last of the bottle as Aphelios opened his second.

“Now, my beloved pupil, I must bid you farewell!”

“ _Why_?” Aphelios managed, feeling rather tired from that display. He was quite content to stay sat exactly where he was.

“There is something that I want,” Vladimir announced, “I must go and ask our neighbours for a cup of sugar!”

What? They had sugar in the van. A whole box of sugar. Why was…

_“Goodbye?”_

Aphelios merely watched as Vladimir went and stagged between their bus and that of Domination. He turned the corner around the back of Domination’s bus and out of sight. Aphelios sat in his camping chair, feeling a little bemused before returning to his drink and pretzels. Ah well, a bit of peace and quiet couldn’t hurt.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, just watching the world pass by. It was rather pleasant, just eating, drinking and listening to people enjoying themselves. The exhaustion of the day was definitely catching up with him, and part of him felt like he should go to bed. But if he did, he might miss out on the ‘Rift Fest’ experience. He liked being near the parties but not getting involved. He had food, he had drink, he had a comfy chair. What more did he need? The air was cooling down and the breeze was getting rather chilly. However, that easily sorted. He did up the soft fluffy hoodie that Alune had chosen for him and put the hood up. Much better. His sister had such good taste in clothing. This was so nice. The perfect way to wind down after such an exciting day.

He was just considering getting himself a third pineapple drink, when he heard a door open nearby.

“Fuck you guys, I need a piss!”

Aphelios was too sleepy to even jump at the noise. He watched as someone strode round the side of Domination’s bus and towards the outer fence. The lights from Uninhibited’s bus caught him as he made his way into a patch of bushes, highlighting a broad muscular back, deep red hair and a pair of pointed Vastayan ears.

Aphelios almost dropped his pretzels. Almost.

No.

No, he was just seeing things.

It couldn’t be.

No.

He was drunk. His imagination was probably just making things up! That couldn’t possibly be _him_ taking a leak outside their bus. Aphelios you idiot, he told himself. There’s no way that couldn’t possibly be him.

He averted his gaze so the man could have his privacy. Yet he couldn’t help glance up from his bowl when he heard bushes rustling nearby. He looked up to see a very handsome, and very familiar, face staring back at him.

Oh moon and stars…

Oh fuck him…

“You’re …” gasped THEBOSSMAN, hands at his side, mouth open as he stared at Aphelios. Aphelios suddenly became very aware he was wearing a fluffy hoodie with bunny ears.

“You,” gasped THEBOSSMAN. He stepped forward, reaching out his hand as if for a handshake, before staring at it, then to his belt.

“One moment,” he said, before racing back into his own bus.

Aphelios stared at the spot he’d just vacated as if in a daze. THEBOSSMAN? Here? In real life? He wasn’t imagining this? He wasn’t imagining this. THEBOSSMAN was really here and he was a member of Domination. He was a Rockstar. He was really _here_. Oh, Moon’s grace, what was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to say? Would THEBOSSMAN even be able to understand him? He put down the bowl of pretzels and tried to act casual. However, he was suddenly more awake than he’d felt in hours.

The sound of huffing and pounding footsteps announced THEBOSSMAN’s return. He stopped a few feet from Aphelios, took a deep breath, before producing something from behind his back. There was a definite whiff of hand soap as he presented Aphelios with two things – a folded piece of thick paper, and what looked like a small book.

“Please sign my photos!” he exclaimed , catching Aphelios completely off guard. He stood up, putting down the empty bottle he was holding and took the things proffered to him. He had a sharpie in the pocket of his pyjama trousers but soon realised the awkwardness of the situation with a thing in each hand, he couldn’t write, and he couldn’t sign either.

“Ah, shit, sorry,” said THEBOSSMAN, running a hand through his hair. There was a definite smell of beer coming off him.

“Look, you can err…put one down on the chair or…if I sit down, you can use my thigh as a table, how about that?”

Use his thigh as… Aphelios merely nodded, letting him take Vladimir’s vacant seat. It was far too small for him stretching the canvas fabric. Now he was close, Aphelios could appreciate just how big he was. Aphelios was six foot tall but THEBOSSMAN still towered over him. He came up to the man’s bare chest and what an amazing chest it was… He couldn’t help but blush as their hands touched as he passed over the book, planning to do the folded paper first.

 _“Who I do make it out to?”_ he signed without thinking. He realised his error, scrambling for his phone before THEBOSSMAN replied:

“Oh, sorry, I’m Sett.”

Aphelios gawked at him.

_“You sign?”_

“Yeah!” Sett replied beaming from ear to ear, “Learned in the boy scouts when I was a small thing! Kept it up because you never know when you might need it! Ma said it was always important to be able to talk to people no matter where they’ve walked their life. Didn’t realise it would come in handy here at Rift Fest!”

He signed along with every word he said and Aphelios wondered if he might be falling in love. The man of his dreams knew how to sign! Oh, pinch him this must be another fantasy!

 _“Well, I’m very happy to meet you Sett,_ ” Aphelios replied with a shy smile. He couldn’t help but notice the slight blush on the larger man’s features as he smiled at him. Was he just seeing things? He must be. He occupied himself with unfolding the piece of paper he’d been given.

Oh.

Oh…

His face went from a light blush to a deep pink as he revealed a photo of himself. It was undeniably a photo from _that_ bunny shoot. Perhaps his most risqué picture of all. He was lying on his back in a pile of cushions with his knees in the air, just touching above his chest, giving the camera a perfect view of his crotch and pompom tail. Sett had bought this? In larger than A4? And he kept in his tour bus? With slightly trembling fingers he chose a patch of photo where he was and wrote - “ **Dear Sett. Such a pleasure to meet you. Love Aphelios!”**

He let the ink dry for a moment before handing it back. Sett beamed again.

“Holy shit, I can’t believe I actually got to meet you here,” he proclaimed, “As soon as I found out Uninhibited was here, I knew they’d be a chance. But to think we’re neighbours! Here!”

He thrust the book at Aphelios.

It was the glossy artbook.

The glossy artbook of all Aphelios’ bunny shoot photos. Heavily rumpled and more than a little stained with… this… Aphelios was red now. That…was that he thought it was? He was going to die.

 **Dear Sett,** he wrote, **thank you for enjoying my photos so much, love Phel.**

He handed back the book. Sett read the comment and definitely turned a shade of red to match his ears.

“You…err,” he managed, before apparently decided to take the situation in stride, “You’re welcome Phel! Can I call you Phel?”

Aphelios nodded. To be honest, Sett could call him anything and he’d hardly care at this point. He could barely take his eyes of the man now sitting beside him.

“So, Phel, you here all alone? Where did your bandmates go?” Sett asked.

Aphelios almost smacked himself in his eagerness to respond.

_“Ezreal went to crash True Damage’s party with one of their stylists. Vladmir just walked off, don’t know where. He left me here all by myself.”_

“Well that’s mean of them,” Sett replied, “You don’t just abandon your mates at Rift Fest, especially when they’re as pretty as you. Anything could happen!”

Aphelios resisted the urge to squirm at his praise, but it was proving harder to remain impassive with every passing moment. Especially with how much he was blushing.

 _“Anything?”_ he repeated. Sett leaned in a little closer, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, that was nevertheless, still very loud. The smell of beer intensified. Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder if he was as drunk as he was.

“I don’t know if anyone’s told you this to your face,” he stage-whispered, “But I don’t think you need those guys. You’re the hottest guy in this entire festival – fuck it, you’re the hottest guy I’ve ever seen.”

Aphelios was going to die right here and now. And he’d die happy.

 _“That means a lot,”_ he replied with shaking fingers, “ _Coming from the most attractive man I’ve ever met, or seen, or… You’re like a dream come true. Especially when you’ve got no shirt on.”_

Sett blinked at him in surprise and Aphelios instantly felt terrible. Oh no, had he messed this up already?

“ _I’m sorry_ ,” he signed rapidly, “ _I’ve never flirted with anyone before in my life, I just…”_

Sett started laughing. He did indeed have a gorgeous laugh, somehow even nicer than the one in Aphelios’ dream

“No, no need to apologise,” he chuckled, “I love a man who tells it like it is.”

He leaned back in the too-small chair so Aphelios could get a good look at his torso, the coloured lights from the lanterns throwing his muscular chest into relief. Aphelios silently gasped before he could help himself.

“You can touch if you want,” Sett said proudly, flexing his arms as he presented Aphelios with a cocky grin. Aphelios’ breath caught in his throat.

 _“Really?”_ he replied, “ _That’s not too…fast?”_

“Well, considering I’ve jerked off to your photos,” Sett reasoned, “I’m not sure there’s too fast where you’re concerned.”

When he put it like that… Blushing to the tips of his ears, Aphelios leaned forward to gently touch one glorious pec. He couldn’t believe this was happening! He was actually touching the man of his dreams, who was being super nice, and he thought Aphelios was hot… This was surely a dream but he would go along with it whilst it lasted.

 _“I like your photos too,”_ he confessed, once nerves got the better of him and he stopped giving Sett’s chest admiring touches.

_“You’re the only person I follow on Instagram, apart from the band.”_

“I noticed,” Sett replied smugly, “The Boss just too tempting to say no to, right?”

Aphelios nodded before he could help himself.

 _“Well, my sister followed you for me,”_ he admitted, “ _Because I was too shy to draw attention to myself…and she liked that first lot of photos. But after that, well, that was me. You’re hard to resist.”_

“Speak for yourself,” Sett smirked, “Hell, the rest of that wretched site might as well not exist. Just plug me into that fresh line of Phel photos. Can’t believe a face like yours was hidden from me all these years.”

He reached forward and cupped Aphelios’ cheek with one large hand. Aphelios shivered a little, knowing his reaction was nothing to do with the cool night air. He couldn’t stop himself leaning into the touch. No one had never held his face like this. No one had ever looked at him, so close, with desire in their eyes. Oh, he wanted to be touched more often. He wanted to be touched more. He _wanted._ Hadn’t Vladimir just told him he should try to take everything he wanted? Hadn’t they just talked about this?

“How’d you get this gorgeous bunny?” Sett asked, his voice leaving a low rumble in his chest, “What I wouldn’t give to get one taste of this.”

He ran his thumb over Aphelios’ bottom lip. Before he could stop himself, Aphelios’ tongue darted out to lick the tip of his finger. Heart racing, he swirled the tip of his tongue around Sett’s thumb, drawing it inside to suck on the tip. He mostly tasted of salt and nail polish, but the effect Aphelios was having on him was obvious. Sett’s gaze was focussed on his lips, his own slightly parted in awe at what he was seeing. His next words came out in a proper whisper:

“Can I kiss you?”

He removed his thumb from Aphelios’ mouth.

 _“I don’t know,”_ Aphelios replied with a flushed smile, _“Can you?”_

Sett grinned.

“May I kiss you?”

Oh dear moon above, this was really happening! He leaned up a little in his chair, putting one leg on the seat so he could be face to face with Sett without having the man crane his neck too much.

“ _You may.”_

For such a large man, Sett’s embrace was remarkably gentle. Aphelios couldn’t take his eyes off him as Sett cupped his face once more, drawing him so close that he could feel his breath against his cheek. Aphelios’ bunny hood fell down as they stared into each other’s eyes.

“I’m the luckiest man alive,” Sett murmured. Aphelios wanted to argue that no, he was, but Sett was already kissing him. If the soft touch against his face had been special, it was nothing compared to feeling another man’s lips on his. Aphelios couldn’t help himself, he wrapped his arms around those broad bare shoulders as he did his very best at being a good kisser. The first touch was brief but it left his lips tingling. The second harder, longer, but as soon as they parted, he wanted more. Sett put an arm round his waist, lifting him entirely out of the chair and into his lap. The camping chair beneath the two of them creaked ominously as Aphelios cupped his face with both hands, copying the motions Sett made against his lips. In a moment of daring, he licked at Sett’s bottom lip, making the man shudder and part his lips so their tongues could meet.

“Not too bad for a first-timer,” Sett gasped as they parted to breathe, “Though I reckon I could teach you a thing or two.”

Aphelios didn’t want to let him go so opted for mouthing ‘please’ against Sett’s cheek and going in for another kiss. He could feel Sett’s hands move to his back and waist as he kiss the man so hard, he could feel the points of his teeth. Sett let out a low rumble of a groan as he lifted both himself and Aphelios out of the camping chair. Aphelios flailed for a moment before wrapping his legs around the man’s hips.

“I got something I wanna show you,” Sett panted, “Back in the bus. It’ll make this a whole lot comfier.”

His bed? Please let it be his bed. Sett began to carry him towards Domination’s bus but, even between kisses, Aphelios realised he’d forgotten to do something.

 _“Bus,”_ he signed, letting go of Sett just for a moment, “ _Need to lock bus.”_

“Right, yeah, sorry,” Sett replied. He put Aphelios down for a moment so he could extract his keys from his pyjamas. He made sure to kiss Sett to let him know that the mood certainly wasn’t ruined before hurrying to lock the door. He realised he’d left the chairs out a moment too late before deciding he didn’t care. Ezreal wasn’t going to get mad over a couple of chairs. He hurried back to Sett, grabbing his hand as he was led towards the door to Domination’s bus. Sett pushed a button beside the door and a set of stairs protruded from beneath the door and settled at their feet, just as the door opened. Aphelios didn’t have time to marvel at the high-tech fixtures for suddenly he was being swept off his feat and carried into the bus.

“You’re going to love this,” Sett boasted, “Because we’re going on such a long tour, we fitted this new space we’re calling the chill out room. It’s great, it’s got this comfy air bed and mood-lighting and…here it is!”

He put Aphelios down so he could gesture to what looked like a circular room built into the side of the bus. The curved door was covered in band posters.

“Prepare yourself for some seriously cool tech,” Sett told him, “I’ll just press this thing here and-“

The door glided open on silent runners.

“Oh **harder** Daddy! I was just **awful** flirting with all those fans!”

The door glided closed on silent runners.

Sett only stopped jamming the button when he was sure the thing was closed.

Aphelios stood there in a state of shock. He’d know that voice anywhere. To be honest, he’d know that body anywhere, though he’d never seen him completely naked. Especially not completely naked whilst bouncing up and down on the…the cock of the very same man they’d passed by earlier. Vladimir didn’t seem to care how loud he was being. Neither had he noticed that Sett and Aphelios had just seen him with a large red handprint on his ass. Or that he was holding onto a thick black leather leash, attached to the collar worn by the man beneath him. Or that he was now making the entire chill out room shake as said man did indeed give it to him harder. Aphelios didn’t know how he was ever going to get the image of his bandmate’s cock bobbing up and down as he was thrust into, out of his head. Neither did he know how he was ignoring the muffled moans that were now escaping the confines of the chill out room. He stared at Sett who was staring at the door aghast with his ears straight upright in shock. He watched as Sett looked around his bus, as if there was somewhere they could escape the muffled exclamation of:

“I said harder! Fuck me **harder**!”

“ _My bus?”_ Aphelios suggested.

“Your bus,” Sett agreed.

Mood thoroughly ruined, they hastened back to Uninhibited’s much smaller tour bus. It was still completely empty – both of Aphelios’ bandmates now accounted for. Aphelios led Sett into their bus without any fancy buttons or steps to demonstrate. He went to offer their lounge area before realising that they’d already unfolded the sofas so Ezreal would have a bed when he got back. Which left the very tiny chairs in the kitchen or, well…

“So which bit’s yours?” Sett asked. Aphelios pointed at his bed at the far end of the bus. Now he was host he should probably do something to impress his guest.

_“Do you want a drink? A snack?”_

Sett looked a little taken aback by the sudden question, as if what they’d just witnessed had thrown him out of the loop as much as it had Aphelios.

“Yeah, a drink would be great, what you got?”

Aphelios gave him a tour of their fridge and Sett opted for one of Ezreal’s fruit beers. Aphelios got himself another pineapple drink and they sat on end of Aphelios’ bed.

 _“Sorry about…my bandmate_ ,” Aphelios said, as he wondered where the bottle-opener went.

“Sorry about mine,” Sett replied, “Didn’t think he was really the type but, yeah.”

 _“It’s definitely Vladimir’s fault_ ,” Aphelios finally located an Uninhibited branded bottle opener and popped open his drink. He sat back down beside Sett, taking a sip.

 _“I’ll do my best to give him hell tomorrow_ ,” he promised.

“Yeah serves him right,” Sett replied, looking around at the bus, “I like your wheels. Small, cosy, intimate.”

Aphelios tried not to blush at that and failed.

“ _Well, we’re much smaller than your band,”_ he reasoned, wondering if this was the occasion to try flirting again, _“This is only the second time we’ve ever used it. I don’t think anyone’s actually been, you know…intimate in here.”_

He took a large gulp of drink at his own audacity. Sett chuckled. Aphelios couldn’t help but feel his method of flirting was just to state facts, but it was apparently working.

“So what you’re saying, bunny.” He turned to Aphelios, his voice lowering back to that gorgeous rumble.

“Is we should christen this place before your bandmates do?”

 _“Before Vladimir does,”_ Aphelios agreed, reaching up to run a finger down his pec again before signing:

“ _They’re not expecting to come back and find a gorgeous man in my bed. One look at you and they’d be beside themselves with jealousy.”_

Aphelios smiled bashfully before getting onto his knees, now the right height to resume kissing him.

“Oh please, they’d be jealous of me for getting to you first,” Sett replied, setting aside his drink and taking Aphelios’ before he spilt it everywhere.

“I can’t imagine what it’s like performing with this right next to me.”

Aphelios jumped as he put one hand on his ass. But he eagerly leaned into the touch, letting Sett get a firm hold.

“I watched your performance earlier you know,” Sett continued, “Fuck, I wanted to peel those jeans off with my teeth.”

It was too much. Aphelios wanted this man and by moonlight, he was going to have him. Without any word warning him he climbed into Sett’s lap.

“Oh Phel,” Sett purred, “So eager.”

 _“You promised to teach me a few things,”_ Aphelios reminded him, “ _I’m ready for my lesson.”_

“Mmm, such a hungry little bunny,” Sett’s hand returned to his ass, the other tilting his chin up, “Such choices, what to show you first.”

Aphelios decided to start by kissing him. What began as a few chaste pecks soon turned into sloppy open-mouthed kisses in which Aphelios was sure Sett was trying to take his breath away. With one large hand groping his ass, he felt justified in running his hands across that gorgeously tanned torso, that heaving chest, feeling the sheer strength in those back-muscles. He couldn’t stop exploring the hard lines and soft skin of his body as Sett pressed him even closer. Aphelios felt his whole body heating up as Sett’s free hand ventured up the back of his pyjama top and started tracing the scars on his back. He wrapped one arm around Sett’s shoulders to steady himself as Sett started to kiss across his cheek and down towards his throat. He’d never felt so sensitive in his life. He’d had no idea how good it felt to be so close to another man like this. How wonderful it was to have a strong hand kneading your ass whilst you kissed like your life depending on it. Sett’s ears twitched with every huff and gasp that escaped Aphelios’ lips as the larger man began to suck sensitive marks into the unblemished skin of his neck. Sett groaned as Aphelios found one of his nipples and thumbed at the peak. As if this was a challenge, he let go of Aphelios’ ass to hoist him upwards, so he was kneeling in Sett’s lap. There he lifted up the hem of the fleece hoodie, Aphelios quickly tugging it off before Sett’s hand shot up the t-shirt beneath, dragging it so it bunched up about Aphelios’ shoulders.

“I’ve been thinking about this since that shirt on Vice,” Sett murmured against his stomach. Aphelios didn’t have time to ask what he meant before he felt lips about one of his nipples with just a hint of teeth.

“S-S!”

The sound escaped him without thought. It was soon followed by a moan, a small but definitely audible moan.

“Let me hear you bunny,” Sett growled, the vibrations against Aphelios’ chest making him quiver as he felt his blood rushing south. Aphelios couldn’t prevent the noises if he tried. A chorus of tiny moans and whimpers escaped him as Sett left kisses across his chest, paying particular attention to each nipple in turn. Aphelios looked for something, anything to hold onto, as Sett kissed his way down his abdomen, licking at the lines of muscle and leaving a trail of pink that blossomed against his pale skin. One arm around Sett’s shoulders, he ended up holding on Sett’s hair. He clearly didn’t mind for his gave a particularly loud groan when Aphelios tugged just a little too hard.

“S-S…Sss…”

“You can do it,” Sett moaned into stomach as Aphelios pressed a kiss to one of his ears, “Just let go…let go for me gorgeous.”

Seemingly impressed with the number of marks he’d made, Sett moved his attention to Aphelios’ quivering hips. His pyjama trousers, once so soft and comfy, were proving rather too tight for comfort anymore. The fabric was providing maddening amounts of friction against his cock and he just…he just… He ground his hips against Sett’s hand as Sett traced the bulge there.

“You ever had another man touch you here?” Sett asked. Aphelios whimpered, loudly, at least by his standards.

“I’m gonna take that as no,” Sett chucked, far too coherent for his own good Aphelios thought. He sank into Sett’s lap, so they were at the right level for more kisses, bringing him in for another breath-stealing embrace. But Sett wasn’t done teasing. One hand on Aphelios’ back, he drew him in close, the other running one long finger down the tent in Aphelios’ trousers. Aphelios’ eyes closed and he let out a whine that barely sounded human. As Sett cupped him, his hips started to move of their own accord, yearning for something, anything just stop taunting him and-!

“ **Sett!”**

“That’s what I like to hear!”

Aphelios couldn’t give him any sort of slap or witty response. Every thought in his head, every nerve in his body seemed to have gone on holiday in return for the sheer blinding pleasure of having Sett’s hand around his cock. He gasped and moaned as he held onto Sett’s shoulders, occasionally being drawn into wet open-mouthed kisses as Sett pumped his cock in hard strokes that had him seeing stars. He was relentless. His grip so tight it was almost brutal as Aphelios’ hips juddered, thrusting into that punishing grip as if it was all they had ever wanted. This was nothing like doing it alone. This was nothing like touching himself in the shower to thoughts of some unknown man on Instagram. Sett was here. With one hand down his trousers and another up his shirt, leaving bruises down his neck and shoulders and he furiously brought him to the edge.

“Sett! Sett! Sett!”

His voice was out in a chorus of moans and screams. Suddenly Sett twisted his hand just so and Aphelios’ vision went white. He let out one last scream of Sett’s name as he collapsed onto him, releasing into the fist that continued to grip him through his climax. He lay there, sprawled across Sett, twitching, for how long he could not tell. All he knew was that Sett picked him up and gently laid him on the bed. After peeling off his dirty pyjama bottoms, he heard him rummaging around in the bathroom for tissues and wetting them under the tap. Aphelios blinked blearily at him as Sett returned. Exhaustion was looming fast but he didn’t expect that to be it. If the enormous bulge in Sett’s trousers was anything to go by, then Sett definitely had some needs to be taken care of. He raised his hands, and managed to get out

_“Lube. Bag. Left Bed. Vlad’s.”_

Sett just shook his head with a fond smile.

“Not today Phel.”

Aphelios summoned the energy to sit up and stare at him.

 _“But you’re…”_ he gestured at Sett’s very obvious erection.

“Not today,” Sett repeated, “I’m not having your first time be when we’re drunk off our asses.”

“Sett!”

Sett shuddered a little, as if his name off Aphelios’ lips alone could cause him pleasure.

“You can use that beautiful voice all you want,” Sett told him, “But you’re not having your first time as some big drunken mistake.”

Aphelios frowned at him.

 _“This isn’t a mistake!”_ he objected, “ _I want you.”_

“I want you too,” Sett agreed, returning to the bed, “But let’s do this next time we meet, when we’re both sober.”

Aphelios was feeling distinctly cheated. He stripped off his shirt and crawled over to where Sett now sat, very messy and very naked. Pushing past the exhaustion, he crawled into his lap, one hand pressing into the bulge there before he reasoned:

_“At least let me help you out. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise.”_

“Alright,” said Sett, kissing him on the forehead as if he was being adorable, “Do your worst.”

He sounded like he thought this was a game. As if he was issuing a challenge. Like he believed Aphelios couldn’t reduce him to the sort of incoherent mess he’d made Aphelios.

Well, Aphelios would prove that he wasn’t to be underestimated.

He pressed both hands to Sett’s shoulders, pushing him back against the bed so he was lying atop the half-dressed man. He pressed a kiss to Sett’s lips before crawling down so he was at eye-level with that tantalising bulge.

“Impressed?” Sett teased, propping himself up on his elbows so he could watch what he was doing. This was fine. Aphelios wanted him to see. Remembering his comment from earlier, Aphelios took the metal zipper of his trousers between his teeth. Sett groaned as he watched Aphelios ever so slowly draw the zip down, just low enough to gain access to what he was truly after, but high enough to be just a bit constricting for Sett’s sheer size.

Yes, Aphelios was impressed as he pulled back the elastic of Sett’s boxers but he wasn’t going to tell Sett that. Not when he had better things to be doing with his hands. He took Sett’s cock in hand as if appraising it, tracing one finger up and down as if he needed observe every inch, every vein, every red curl at the base. Sett’s breath hitched every time he scraped his fingernail across the underside, every time he chanced a little squeeze, just to see him squirm. He was big, bigger than Aphelios had ever seen but that just gave him all the more to torment him with.

“Bunny, what are you…fuck!”

Aphelios gave the tiniest of licks to the head. He was instantly met by a spurt of precum, which he promptly spread across the length with only the most delicate touches. There was no way he was going to fit Sett in his mouth on the first attempt. He’d never given a blowjob before and this was a lot for a first attempt. However, he was fully prepared to wipe that cocky smile off Sett’s face using only his…well… cock. 

He proceeded not to give Sett anymore than the smallest licks and the lightest touches. His fingers danced across the length with all the grace of playing the keys. He lay tiny kisses to the underside, making sure Sett could see him with his cock pressed against his face. He could see how aroused Sett was from fondling him. He could so easily push him off the edge just by wrapping his lips around the head, or perhaps chancing a firmer squeeze, but Aphelios had a point to prove. He wanted Sett to eat his patronising words, and what he wanted, he was getting.

“You’re such…a…tease,” Sett gasped as Aphelios met his gaze as he slowly licked from head to base.

“Bunny…I’m so close.”

Aphelios grinned at him and Sett threw back his head in a moan. Tease him, would you? Challenge him to do better, would you? He ‘treated’ Sett to another few minutes of teasing before he looked back up at the man sweating in his sheets.

“Phel, I’m…I’m…”

Aphelios took a deep breath. He could do this… He could do this…

“Sett?” he said aloud, idly toying with his cock between two fingers like one might fiddle with a pencil.

“Phel…I can’t…”

Here went nothing.

“Beg.”

Sett sat bolt upright before falling back to the bed with a thump.

“Oh fuck,” he moaned, not groaned, not grunted, moaned… Aphelios smirked as his cock twitched in his grasp.

“Oh fuck you…” Sett moaned.

“You didn’t,” Aphelios reminded him, voice stronger with every syllable. He pressed his lips to the tip of Sett’s cock.

“Phel, Aphelios, please…” Sett threw an arm over his face as if that made begging easier, “Let me come. I’m begging, here, this…this is me begging… please, let me come. Please Phel, you’re beautiful and wonderful and I really really…FUCK!”

Aphelios took the tip into his mouth and sucked. Once, twice, before suddenly Sett let out a strangled yell. Aphelios moved his head back just a moment too late. He gasped as Sett came all over him, his hair, his face… opening his mouth was a mistake as he caught a spurt across his lips and tongue. It made sense that a man with such large…everything, would have a lot to release but… he was filthy! He hadn’t exactly planned for what would happen when he let Sett orgasm but now… he was such a mess. He looked about the tissues Sett had fetched and realised he was still holding them. He crawled back up the bed as Sett panted atop the duvet and tried to tug them out of his hand.

“Get over here,” Sett mumbled, “I wanna kiss you.”

“I’m covered in you,” Aphelios signed back at him, pointing at himself.

“I know, it’s hot.”

Aphelios lay down next to him as Sett exhaustedly kicked his trousers off. Sett kissed him before gently wiping all the cum off his face. He made an attempt at his hair, but it proved far too tricky for their sleep-addled minds to handle.

 _“Shower in the morning,”_ Aphelios told him, exhaustion back with a vengeance and swiftly taking hold, “ _Sleep now_.”

“Yeah, good plan,” Sett mumbled, pulling Aphelios into his arms and against his chest. Aphelios rested his head against his shoulder, even through his weariness, he couldn’t deny the thrill of being held like this, of being so close… All this touching! It was just amazing…

Sett tangled their legs together and pressed one last kiss to the top of his head.

“Night, bunny.”

Aphelios kissed him on the chin and snuggled in close. Never in a million years did he think he’d get to sleep in the arms of a gorgeous man, let alone after being intimate with one! He smiled into Sett’s shoulder as he drifted off. Screw the music. Screw the crowds and the concession stands and the VIP Lounges. Who cared about outfits and True Damage and getting autographs? Rift Fest had certainly been one of the best weekends of his life and it had all been thanks to this man here. The sound of partying faded to nothing around him. The lights didn’t matter. The music, inconsequential. All that mattered was this one moment, this one very quiet, very peaceful, very intimate moment where he could rest and…

“WHAT…in the name of FUCK, is THIS?”


	5. In Conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphelios and Sett receive a rude awakening when Ezreal returns to their bus. Aphelios then receives an even ruder shock when he realises who has been staying next door.

“WHAT…in the name of FUCK, is THIS?”

There was a crunchy clinking sound. Aphelios tried to groan but no noise came out. He opened his eyes to discover that Sett had sat up but seemed unable to let go of him. He was being cradled between two very large and muscular arms and quite frankly, that made up for all the shouting. Aphelios rested his head against Sett’s chest as a very familiar voice continued to fill the once-peaceful bus.

“Who are you?!” exclaimed Ezreal, “What is this! Phel, why is there…”

“Guessing this is your other bandmate?” Sett interrupted, looking down at Aphelios with amusement in his eyes. Aphelios merely nodded. He was so tired and comfortable that he really wanted to drift off back to sleep. They couldn’t have rested more than what, twenty minutes? And Ezreal just had to barge in here and start yelling. Couldn’t he tell just by looking what had gone on here? They weren’t even under the covers or anything.

“ _Ez, this is Sett. Sett this is Ezreal,” he_ managed _,_ spelling out their names with slightly sticky fingers. He stared at them and gave them an experimental lick. Yep, that was cum. Ezreal gave a small indignant squeak at the sight of him.

“I’m with Domination,” Sett added helpfully, “I play drums. Also, occasionally I scream. Though Phel is here is a pretty good screa-“

Aphelios put a hand over his mouth before Ezreal had a heart attack from all the sudden shocks.

“He what?!” Ezreal squeaked, “You spoke! I mean… you spoke when he… Where’s Vladimir?!”

He looked about the bus with his demand, as if their last band member would suddenly materialise out of the bathroom, or from underneath a bed, to make everything go back to normal again.

 _“He’s also with Domination,”_ Aphelios told him, _“I mean, not as a band member just… He’s in their bus.”_

“With his Sugar Daddy,” Sett added helpfully.

“With his WHAT?”

For once, Aphelios agreed with Ezreal’s yell. He didn’t appreciate the volume and he really wanted to go back to sleep, but the question certainly remained. His what? Aphelios glanced between Sett and Ezreal, wondering if anyone was going to elaborate on that. Evidently not.

“You know!” Ezreal suddenly exclaimed, “I’m not sober, or awake, of ready for any of this! I am going back to the party; I am going to have a great time and damn all of you!”

He strode over to the fridge and thrust open the door. Before the pair in the bed could so much as sign or say anything, he’d grabbed an armful of alcohol and was already striding out of the bus. They watched him go in stunned silence before they heard the sound of him talking, seemingly to his phone or smartwatch.

“Hey, yeah it’s me,” they heard him say through the slightly-open window, “Pretty please can I come back to sit with you guys? Turns out our bus has become the wank-wagon and I really need somewhere to crash that doesn’t stink of sex. Floor is fine, sheltered piece of grass also good, I’ll be so good I promise. I’ve stolen all the booze out the bus, it’s yours if you want it.”

A moment of silence before:

“Oh, thank you, you’re the best! I’ll be one sex, I mean, sec, thank you!”

They heard him running off into the night without another word to them. They sat up in bed for a moment longer before Sett evidently decided that was enough awareness for now. He gently picked Aphelios up off the covers with one arm whilst using the other to pull back the covers. (Aphelios would have swooned if he wasn’t so drowsy.) Slowly putting him on the clean sheet, Sett then climbed under the covers himself so they were spooning.

“Interesting bandmates you got,” he murmured, kissing the top of Aphelios’ messy hair as they got comfortable once more.

“ _Could say the same to you,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _That guy we saw…he’s Vlad’s Sugar Daddy?”_

“Swain?” Sett stated, “Yeah, he’s some big rich politics guy, owns a huge house in the countryside with like two pools and a tennis courts and more than anyone really needs.”

Wait…

 _“I thought that house was Vlad’s,”_ Aphelios signed, _“He never said it belonged to someone else. There’s a big painting of him in the lobby.”_

“Yeah same place,” Sett confirmed, “Those two are into some weird and kinky shit. I dunno, maybe sitting for paintings is one of them.”

 _“Rich people are so weird_ ,” Aphelios managed before he was consumed by the need to yawn.

“A-fucking-men,” Sett agreed, “We normal folk got to stick together. It’s a weird old world out there.”

That was the last thing Aphelios remembered him saying before he drifted off to sleep in his arms. His night’s sleep was amazing. When he began to hear their fellow performers waking up around him, he lay there for a moment considering the most wonderful dream he’d just had. The one where THEBOSSMAN turned out to be a drum-playing rockstar and they had made out, then did a bit more than make out, in Uninhibited’s bus. He could have done without the bit where Ezreal walked in on them and stared at their naked asses, but eh, not even the dream world was perfect.

“Morning, bunny.”

“Sett?” The shock awoke his voice as well as his senses. He opened his eyes, blinked a few times, before his mouth fell open. He looked at himself, realising how naked he was. He then looked at the man now looming over him, sat up slightly, propped up on his elbow so he could look down at the flabbergasted Aphelios.

_“You’re…here.”_

“I’m not gonna run off on you,” Sett grinned, “Why would I ditch you now we’ve met?”

Oh, moon and stars, this was real! His head throbbed a little as he met Sett’s eyes, feeling suddenly bashful. Did everything he ‘dreamt’ actually happen? He looked Sett up and down, blushing as he realised that yes, everything was as he remembered it.

 _“I thought I was dreaming again,”_ he confessed.

Sett chuckled.

“Again?” he replied, “You’ve dreamt of me before?”

Aphelios’ blush deepened.

 _“A few times,”_ he admitted, _“You keep posting your photos just before I go to sleep.”_

“So how does the real thing compare?” Sett grinned, leaning forward so he could draw the increasingly-embarrassed Aphelios into another embrace. Aphelios couldn’t help but hug him back, burying his face into his shoulder. He was real… so real! Also, very sweaty. In fact, they were both really sweaty and covered in dried fluids. Yet that didn’t diminish the joy of all this being real. 

“ _Much better_ ,” he mouthed into Sett’s shoulder.

They snoozed for a little longer as Rift Fest roused itself around them. Some of the windows of the bus were still slightly ajar, and it was certainly enough for them to hear the massing crowds getting ready for the final day of the festival. Someone with acoustic guitar played a few chords somewhere nearby and loud voices debated where they were getting breakfast from. What felt like an hour after they’d woken, there was a loud buzzing from beside Aphelios’ bed. Sett groaned and was forced to let go of Aphelios to fish around down the side of his bed. He then opted to search the covers for where he’d kicked off his trousers, pulling out his phone from one of the pockets.

“What is it?” he groaned to the screen, which was lit up with an incoming call. Sett put whoever it was on speaker before lying back in bed.

“Where are you?” said a serious male voice, “Zed has agreed to set up the barbeque and requires your assistance in cooking breakfast for us and the boys next door.”

“Not far,” Sett replied, “I’ll be over in a mo. You haven’t by any chance got one of the boys next door with you, do you Swain?”

Swain! Aphelios sat up a little and stared at the phone. That voice belonged to Vladimir’s Sugar Daddy, the real owner of the house he’d stayed at so many times over the years. He couldn’t help be a little curious as to what he was like.

“I may do,” Swain said, “The real question of the matter is, do you Settrigh?”

Sett wrinkled his nose. Settrigh? Was that Sett’s full name? Aphelios seemed to be agreement with him that the shorter version suited him better.

“Well as a matter of fact I do,” Sett boasted proudly, “In fact, I’m in their bus right now.”

There was a faint noise from the other end of the phone that sounded distinctly like ‘Mmruaht?’ Followed by some shifting and murmuring on their side.

“Turns out I got to have a lovely night, despite someone hoggin’ the Chill Out Room.” Sett continued, “Maybe invest those big bucks of yours in a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign next tour? If you’re not too busy buyin’ fancy leather collars.”

There was a loud burst of laughter that Aphelios instantly recognised as coming from Vladimir. He perhaps didn’t have his usual energy, but apparently, he found Sett very funny. Aphelios wasn’t sure he’d have the nerve to ask this Swain about what they’d seen last night. But apparently Sett had no such anxiety.

“That,” Swain said firmly over Vladimir’s cackling, “Was a gentleman’s agreement. Recompense in fact, for a slight accident that-”

“Slight!” Vladimir exclaimed, now very audible, “Slight he says! I did nothing to warrant such cruel and unusual punishment! A whole hour you left me-“

“It was twenty minutes,” Swain interrupted him back, but Vladimir would not be denied.

“A whole hour!” he cut across, “You just _had_ to take a phone call and leave me there with that torturous device! I could barely feel my-“

“That’s enough,” Swain stated. There was a soft thump, like someone, possibly Vladimir, had been on the receiving end of a pillow. Sett sniggered.

“At least put on the video chat,” Vladimir whined, his tone changing rapidly, “If he’s really in our bus I want to see what’s he’s got up to in there.”

They heard Swain sigh.

“Why don’t you just go look?” he suggested.

“Because I can’t walk you fiend,” Vladimir retorted, “Now turn on the camera before I start loudly ringing my bandmates.”

Sett’s phone buzzed as it received an incoming request for video chat. As if suddenly beset by a great idea, he excitedly ushered for Aphelios to lean in closer where they lay on the pillows. He gently adjusted them so Aphelios’ face was back on his shoulder. He drew the covers up to Aphelios’ shoulders, leaving a large amount of his own chest exposed, before lifting his phone high above his head as if taking selfie of them cuddled up together. Then he accepted the request.

His screen turned into the video feed from Swain’s camera. The man Aphelios had seen yesterday outside Domination’s van was currently in bed, with the duvet pulled up to his hairy chest, propped up on a large stack of cushions. He was wearing the same gold-rimmed glasses as he peered at his phone, his hair a little more slicked down that it was yesterday. Sweat maybe, Aphelios thought, as he noticed the bite mark on the man’s shoulder. To Swain’s right, also engulphed by cushions, was Vladimir. His long hair was incredibly dishevelled and he had some red marks across his neck and shoulders. He too was mostly covered in the duvet but the level of debauchery between the two pairs was undeniable.

Aphelios suddenly felt rather awkward as both men in the other bus stared at him. He waited for someone to say something, anything, after waving rather tentatively at the camera. Finally, after Sett opened his mouth a few times and said nothing, the silence was broken by none other than Vladimir.

“Phel…Is that cum in your hair?”

 _“Good morning to you too,”_ Aphelios replied, attempting to bring some normalcy back to the very strange situation at hand. He certainly wasn’t sure what you were meant to do in this situation. How could he? When had he ever been lying atop another man, naked except for a duvet, whilst talking to two other men who were also unclothed except for their own bed linen?

“Well,” Vladimir declared, “That’s our Aphelios and our bus, so his story checks out.”

 _“And you’re clearly still in the Chill Out Room,”_ Aphelios replied, noticing the coloured mood-lighting that Sett had mentioned yesterday.

“He says we’re clearly still in the Chill Out Room,” Vladimir translated to the man beside him.

“Ah yes, so you’ve been on our bus as well,” Swain addressed Aphelios, “Did you see Settrigh’s little shrine?”

Shrine? Wait… Admittedly he hadn’t seen any more than the door and the Chill Out room. But judging by Swain’s slight smirk, it appeared he was trying to get revenge on Sett for mentioning what they’d seen. Combine the word ‘shrine’ with the things he’d signed yesterday, could Swain possibly be implying…Aphelios glanced at Sett, who let out an exclamation of:

“Hey! I don’t go snooping around your cubby!”

“I keep my curtain closed,” Swain replied coolly, “And I haven’t been practicing sign language since the moment you realised it was Uninhibited next door.”

Aphelios’ confusion over the shrine was swiftly overtaken by sheer endearment for the man he was currently using as a pillow. He’d gone to so much effort on the slight chance that they’d meet? Aphelios couldn’t help but feel kind of flattered that he’d go to so much trouble just so they could talk. It had taken months for Vladimir to learn but as soon as he realised there was a possibility, Sett had refreshed on what he’d learned at boy scouts?

 _“I think that’s very sweet,”_ Aphelios replied. Sett, who had gone a bit red in the face, suddenly looked thrilled.

“He’s a sap,” Vladimir ‘translated’, “I absolutely want details when I get back there. I got a very inter-”

“On that note,” Swain interrupted, “We really should be exchanging bandmates right now. Zed doesn’t like to be kept waiting and I assume there will be a queue for the shower.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be over,” Sett grumbled, “Spoilsport.”

Aphelios rolled sideways so he could sit up unimpeded. Just as Sett went to hang up the video call, he heard a definite Vladimir-whine of:

“I can’t walk!”

Whatever Swain had to say about that was lost to Sett hanging up the call. Sett got up and out of bed, standing in the middle of their bus in his full naked glory. Aphelios couldn’t help but draw the covers up to his nose as if that would do something to stop him staring. However, as soon as he noticed his gaze, Sett merely smirked.

“Nothing you aint seen before bunny,” he chuckled, picking up his clothing. He seemed to deem his underwear unsuitable for he pulled on his trousers and stuffed his boxers into one of the pockets.

“I’ll pop my head in when breakfast is ready, how about that?” Sett continued.

 _“That would be great, thank you,”_ Aphelios replied, poking his arms out from the duvet. What were you supposed to say to someone after waking up with them like that? Sett didn’t seem to be complaining but weren’t they supposed to talk about last night or something? How did you start that conversation? ‘So, hey, we’ve clearly been fantasising about each other, and we both got really drunk and got each other off…did that mean anything and what are we supposed to do now?’ Aphelios liked Sett a lot. However, most of their time together had been spent drunk and horny. Was he allowed to say ‘can we get to know each better?’ Or even ‘do you want to get to know me better or did I satisfy your curiosity?’ Because Aphelios’ curiosity wasn’t sated. Also, Sett had promised the next time they met whilst sober, they’d try, well… Did Sett remember that? What if he didn’t? Would Aphelios seem too pushy when he brought it up? Would it be rude? Oh, there was so much Aphelios didn’t know about this sort of scenario. He understood what he wanted. He wanted to get to know Sett a bit better, and if he liked what he learned about, ask him on a date. But maybe Sett just wanted to sleep with him? Ah so confusing! He wished there was someone he could ask about these things. There was no way he was asking Alune. He needed some sort of mentor or…

“Excuse me darling, I need to faceplant my own pillow.”

Aphelios looked up to see Vladimir slip past Sett through the doorway of the bus. He gave Sett a little wave as Vladimir hobbled along to the back of the bus and did exactly as he’d detailed. With far less elegance than his usual movements, he plopped himself face first into his mattress and groaned, loudly. Aphelios stared at him for a moment, still clutching the duvet to himself. When Vladimir didn’t move, Aphelios got to his feet, grabbing a towel from his weekend bag and wrapping it around himself. As Vladimir continued to lie with his face obscured, there was no way of telling him that he was taking the first shower. So Aphelios just did so. By the time he’d done that, making sure there was nothing in his hair that shouldn’t be there, Vladimir had pulled himself together.

“Coffee?” he offered, as Aphelios went back to his bed to grab a fresh change of clothing. Aphelios nodded before hastily dressing with all the speed of a high school changing room.

 _“How are you feeling?”_ he asked as Vladimir wobbled towards him with a thermos full of coffee each. The thermos was probably a good idea to prevent spillages, especially with the uncertainty of his step.

“Oh, I’m wonderful,” Vladimir told him, sitting on his bed with a slight wince, “Once I’ve had two paracetamol and a litre of coffee, I’ll be fine.”

That was a lot of coffee.

 _“And food,”_ Aphelios suggested.

“And food,” Vladimir agreed, “But our dashing paramours next door are sorting that out as we speak.”

So, they were paramours, were they? That sounded a bit more romantic that what Sett has told him Vladimir and Swain’s relationship was. He waited until Vladimir had taken his painkillers and drank some coffee before asking.

_“Sett told me that Swain is your Sugar Daddy.”_

Vladimir froze slightly where he sat, coffee cup pressed against his lips.

“He’s not entirely wrong,” he mumbled, before taking another sip.

 _“But not, entirely right_?” Aphelios asked, “ _The house we visit you in belongs to Swain, right?”_

Vladimir shrugged.

“Technically yes,” he replied, “It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

Aphelios also drank coffee as he waited for more of a reply than that. He wondered if he should ask Vladimir for some of his painkillers – there was a horrible stabbing sensation at the back of his head. So, this was what a hangover was like? It wasn’t as bad as everyone had made it out to be. He wanted to sleep for a week and his head hurt, but it was overall manageable. Vladimir eyed him over his drink, as if waiting to see if Aphelios would get distracted or retract his question. When he didn’t, Vladimir sighed.

“I knew this day would come,” he proclaimed dramatically, “For many years now I have adhered to principles of utmost secrecy. I sought to keep my stage persona and secret identity apart from one another but clearly the time has come when the two must meet.”

He sounded like he was spouting the script from a cheesy superhero movie.

 _“You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want,”_ Aphelios told him, “ _If it’s private, I understand. I’m sorry.”_

“No, no, don’t be sorry,” Vladimir assured him, “It’s just… until now I have been able to compartmentalise my life so efficiently. I have a life with the band and a life of my own – unlike your absent friend, I don’t put all my eggs in one proverbial basket. Ezreal is one hundred percent every part of himself one hundred percent of the time. However, there is the me that belongs to Uninhibited and the me that belongs to my past and my private affairs.”

That made sense.

 _“So do I,”_ Aphelios replied _“I have a past and a home life with Alune and a work life with you guys. And I wouldn’t have ever brought up aspects of my past if they hadn’t suddenly showed up.”_

“Yes, you understand,” Vladimir agreed, “But I supposed you did share that titbit with me…”

His tone turned to one of deep thought. He leaned back on his bed, propped up against the window of the bus. It was in that moment that Aphelios noticed he was wearing a pair of pyjama trousers that were far too big for him. They had a little logo on the trouser pocket that looked sort of military-inspired. Those weren’t his, so were they Swain’s?

“I do really want to know what happened in here last night,” Vladimir mused.

 _“Must you?”_ Aphelios asked.

“I must,” insisted Vladimir, “However it would be unfair of me to ask without giving anything in return. So, let’s play a little game whilst we wait for breakfast. As you’ve already given me something, I’ll give you an answer on the house. Then we trade Q and As.”

He seemed quite excited about the prospect. Aphelios wasn’t entirely sure. Firstly, the more awake his got, the more his head was hurting. Secondly, he wasn’t prepared to talk about everything in his life right now.

_“Ok, but first, I think we should have rules. No, first I should have something for my headache. Then we should set rules.”_

“Of oh course,” Vladimir said. He tossed Aphelios his packet of painkillers, which Aphelios took gratefully before throwing the rest back.

“What are your rules?”

Aphelios took a moment to consider this. He wasn’t expecting to do so much soul-searching first thing in the morning.

 _“Please don’t ask about the Lunari,”_ he began, _“Nothing before the age of seventeen. I’m not giving you any secrets about Alune. I can refuse to answer if I want to.”_

“I agree to those terms,” Vladimir said, “My rules are fairly similar. Nothing before the age of twenty, I have right of refusal and nothing I say gets repeated to Ezreal.”

Oh, he hadn’t thought of that.

 _“I agree, and the same,”_ Aphelios replied. He didn’t like the idea of keeping secrets from their bandmate, but as they’d just said, there were work moments and there were personal moments. Perhaps this had just become a personal one.

“Well, I’ll start by asking your question from earlier,” Vladimir sighed, “Yes, Swain was my Sugar Daddy, but I am now entirely financially independent thanks to Uninhibited – except the house. As far as anyone outside this room, bar those involved, knows that is still the case. Initially I got with him because of his money, good taste in wine and excellent BDSM etiquette…”

He raised an eyebrow at Aphelios, who had made a small spluttering noise as he choked on coffee.

“There was also the small matter of personal safety involved,” Vladimir continued regardless, “However, over the years he grew on me. We’ve been together for a good eight years now. Shortly before they left for their American tour last year, we decided to make things a bit more…official.”

Aphelios couldn’t help but notice the excitement in his voice.

“So, I wouldn’t call him my Sugar Daddy exactly,” Vladimir boasted, flicking his hair back out of his face, “I think ‘fiancé’ would be a more accurate term.”

He held up one hand. It was covered in rings as always. However, Aphelios had never thought to look, or check, as to whether any of them were on the formal ‘ring finger’. Indeed, there was one, maybe platinum, inset with a tear-drop shaped ruby.

 _“Congratulations,”_ Aphelios managed through the surprise. Somehow this confused him more than all the awkward conversations he’d had today. It was hard to imagine the Vladimir he knew, the one that threw orgies and flirted with him on their first ever meeting, to be engaged. Yet he guessed what Vladimir said was true. He had a personal life and a band life. Though he hoped Swain knew about the orgies.

“Thank you,” Vladimir preened a little, looking at the ruby ring, “You’re actually the second person to know apart from their pair of us. Swain and I told an old friend of ours who’s currently living in Paris, but we’ve kept it all on the down low. What with us both being famous musicians.”

Now Aphelios had even more questions. What had motivated Vladimir to go from a monetary based relationship to a romantic one? What was it he saw in Swain to know he was the one? It was clear that Swain didn’t put up with any of Vladimir’s nonsense. Aphelios knew from personal experience that this was a sure-fire way to earn Vladimir’s respect. But his heart? He couldn’t help but wonder.

“All done!” Vladimir proclaimed, “It’s my turn! How far did you go with a certain Settrigh last night? It’s not like you can deny it between our call this morning and a certain photo.”

That was true, though he hadn’t denied anything. Vladimir had clearly seen…wait. What photo?

 _“Photo?”_ he repeated, _“What are you talking about?”_

“Oh,” Vladimir said lightly, though his expression was devious, “Just something that appeared in my inbox in the early hours of the morning. It appears Ezreal got quite the surprise.”

Ezreal had taken a photo?! What the- They were going to have words when he got back! It was bad enough that Ezreal had walked in on them, but he didn’t want him showing anyone else!

 _“Why!”_ Aphelios demanded _, “Why did he take a picture? Delete it off your phone!”_

“I already have,” Vladimir assured him, “But you’ll have to ask him when he returns. For the moment however, how was last night?”

Aphelios frowned, his headache not aiding in the sudden grumpiness he was now feeling. Ezreal was absolutely deleting that photo even if Aphelios had to steal his phone to do it.

“ _We met after you went off last night,”_ he told Vladimir, “ _Not sure how long after. He saw me, fanboyed a bit, then we kind of told each other we found the other hot and then made out a bit. Then we tried to go in the Chill Out Room but you were already in there.”_

Vladimir chuckled.

_“So, we came back here, made out a bit more and well…”_

“You seem quite spry,” Vladmir commented, “So I assume you didn’t quite-“

 _“No,”_ Aphelios interrupted, _“Sett said he wouldn’t let me have my first time be a drunken mistake. He refused to do anything more than touching.”_

“Ah, chivalry, the greatest impediment of all,” Vladimir sighed, as if he understood perfectly, “Such is the way sometimes. Though not what I’d expect from a man like him. Did you want more?”

Aphelios nodded.

_“I did, but he was being a gentleman.”_

“If he was a gentleman, he wouldn’t have rejected such an ardent request from his lovely partner,” Vladimir replied, “I hope you made him pay for leaving you cold.”

A surge of pride broke through the grumpiness as Aphelios retorted:

_“Of course I did. I offered to help him, he said I should do my worst, so…. So, I didn’t let him come until he begged me for it.”_

Vladimir suddenly spat out his coffee.

“You did what?!”

 _“I made him beg_ ,” Aphelios repeated, feeling himself blush, “ _It was very attractive when he did it.”_

Vladimir took a moment to put his coffee down. He then took a deep breath, his face suddenly full of an ecstatic, almost manic-looking, glee.

“Darling,” he stated, his voice growing louder as his level of excitement grew, “Darling oh darling, I have never been so proud! You are truly the most wonderful protégé a master could ask for! I can’t believe it!”

What? Had he just been promoted from student to protégé? Also why was he proud? Also, since when was Vladimir his master?!

“Our little Phel is coming into his own!” Vladimir proclaimed, kicking his feet up on the bed as it seemed the joy was too much, “Oh this calls for a celebration! No! A gift! A trophy! Oh my word I know just the thing!”

He grabbed his phone out of Swain’s trousers’ pocket.

“You’ll need so much practice whilst they’re on tour. Ah…. found it! I’ll have it sent to your home, oh my this is amazing!”

He seemed to be in his own little world that didn’t involve any input from Aphelios. However, they were still very much playing their questions and answers game, and it was Aphelios’ turn to ask.

He brought Vladimir’s attention back by managing a small cough. It came out more like a huff than a proper noise, but it did distract from his ranting and wiggling about on the bed.

“ _It’s my go,”_ Aphelios pointed out. Vladimir was still tip-tapping at his phone but he put it away as he replied:

“Of course, of course, fire away…”

Keen to move the conversation away from his own brand-new sex life, he returned to what he’d been wondering before Vladimir had taken his turn. 

_“How did you know you were in love with Swain?”_ Aphelios asked, “ _How did you realise that your feelings were romantic now?”_

As he spoke the smell of bacon began to waft through the open windows of their bus. The scent seemed to rouse Vladimir into action, for he got to his feet as he replied:

“I will answer your question. But I should dress as I do so.”

Aphelios merely nodded. If breakfast was soon, Vladimir really should put some clothes on. He made sure to avert his eyes at appropriate moments, but it was clear that Vladimir lacked the modesty he had. Though once again, it was nothing he hadn’t seen before.

“As I said previously,” Vladimir began, pulling a fresh outfit out of one of his bags, “Our relationship was founded on the principles of money, sexual attraction and personal safety. Quite frankly, on my part, it was about survival. However, after some time, I realised there was more about this man that I liked than the fact he could keep me alive. Despite the power imbalance between us, we were social and intellectual equals. We can talk for hours without ever getting bored of each other. He even seemed to enjoy my company in those early days when it was mostly sex. He’d take me to art galleries and private exhibitions he’d got tickets for through work. We’d go on tour together and visit quaint little restaurants we’d read about in guide books. Sometimes we’d just sit and read in his study and compare literature. We could debate, be it political or just trivial, without fostering any resentment. Simply put, we are very good foils for each other – I don’t put up with his B.S. and he doesn’t put up with mine. Also, we feel safe winding each other up without meaningful consequence.”

He paused for a moment to pull on a pair of exceptionally tight leather trousers. It was then that Aphelios noticed that the outfit he’d chosen wasn’t his usual band affair. There was a lot of wine-red leather and spiked jewellery.

“Especially when I gained a little financial independence,” Vladimir continued, “I came to realise that a life without Jericho Swain would be far more boring, perhaps even torturous, compared to one with him around. I missed him terribly when he went on one of his long tours and yes, even I can be accused of pining a little. Just a little. I worried for him more than I’ve ever worried for anyone else. It was during that isolation that I realised that perhaps this wasn’t just a life of survival after all. Perhaps I’d found someone who could truly make me happy.”

He pulled a long red leather coat out of their hanging storage. It had a huge collar that stood up about his neck and face. Aphelios couldn’t help but remember Alune’s comment about Vladimir being ‘Twink Dracula’. He certainly looked like that now as he donned his coat and brushed out his hair.

“So how about you?” Vladimir asked, turning back to Aphelios, “You’ve now met the man you’ve been lusting over on social media. What are you going to do now?”

Did everyone know about his Instagram habits? Maybe he should have followed some people other than Ezreal, Vladimir and Sett. He guessed if everyone knew, he could be less embarrassed about it eventually. Especially as Sett turned out to be into it and it didn’t look like Vladimir was judging.

“ _I think I should get to know him before I consider what to do next,”_ Aphelios told him, _“We didn’t exactly do a lot of talking last night. He seems nice, but I would like a few sober conversations with him before we consider, I don’t know, dating maybe.”_

Vladimir smirked.

“So, you would date him.” It was more of a statement than a question.

 _“If he turns out to be the sort of man I’d like to date,”_ Aphelios replied, _“I guess, it would be hard whilst he’s on tour.”_

“That’s the other use for video calls,” Vladimir stated, “What would we do without the internet? It would be-“

He stopped talking abruptly as there was a loud knock on their door. It swung open to reveal Sett’s head, poking through the entrance to their bus.

“You guys ready for some breakfast?”

Aphelios certainly was. The smell of cooking was filling their bus now so they made haste for the door and stepped outside. The Performers’ Area was filled with the sounds of music, conversation and the occasional whoop from the festival beyond. In their little corner of the campsite, Domination had set up a picnic area full of black plastic lawn chairs and folding camping tables. Aphelios noticed that he must have left their own camping chairs outside as they had now been including in the throng of seating. A large silver metal barbeque had been set up near the fence and bushes. A burly man, covered in tattoos from the waist up, was currently manning the grill. Like Sett, he didn’t seem to require a shirt. Both he and Sett were wearing heavy leather trousers with many belts, big combat boots and garments that looked somewhere between a waistcoat and a cape. Sett’s shoulder-covering was adorned with a thick black fur trim that stuck up in every direction in large tufts. This man opted for what looked like leather shoulder plates instead, studded with steel spikes. The shoulder-accessories seemed to be part of the band’s look. Because whilst he was wearing a shirt, Swain had donned a half-length black cape with a mantle full of large black feathers. He was currently sitting in one of the lawn chairs, a plate on his lap full of bacon and eggs. Vladimir swanned over to him and took the vacant seat next to him.

“You look good,” Swain commented, eying Vladimir’s outfit. Whilst the studs and leather looked out of place in Uninhibited’s bus, Aphelios couldn’t deny that Vladimir fit in perfect with what Domination was wearing. That was likely the point.

“I know,” Vladimir replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek as a means to swipe his bacon.

“Hey, take a seat,” said Sett, distracting Aphelios immediately, “I’m making breakfast burgers, do you want one?”

Aphelios sat on the chair nearest to Sett, who was moving between the seating area and the barbeque.

 _“What’s a breakfast burger?”_ Aphelios asked.

“It’s like a burger,” Sett explained, “But you put bacon and an egg on top. That’s how you know it’s breakfast.”

Sure, he could try that.

“ _Yes please.”_

It wasn’t long before he was presented with a plastic plate and the largest burger he’d ever seen. With the addition of a lot of bacon and a fried egg, it was certainly a hefty breakfast. He looked at it for a moment before delicately trying to pick it up. There was no way this was going in his mouth.

“Here,” said the man by the barbeque. Aphelios turned just in time to catch a set of plastic cutlery.

 _“Thank you_ ,” Aphelios signed back. The man gave him an odd look, prompting Sett to swallow his mouthful of burger and say

“He says thanks.”

Sett wasn’t having any trouble holding his burger. He wolfed down half the thing before wiping his mouth on his arm.

“Ah right,” he said, “I should probably introduce ya.”

He looked over his shoulder towards the barbeque.

“Zed, this is Aphelios from Uninhibited.”

“I’ve seen your shrine Sett,” Zed replied, before putting more bacon on the grill.

“Right,” Sett mumbled, “Well, Phel, this is Zed, he’s one of our lead singers. The other is…wait.”

He looked about before declaring:

“Where’s Pyke and the ladies? They still doing make-up or something? Breakfast will get cold.”

Swain sighed and pulled out his phone.

“We have our fan meet in an hour and a half; I hope they aren’t still waking up.”

He raised his phone to his ear, clearly making a call.

“Yes, hello. Morgana. Are you all ready? Breakfast has been prepared and we’re going to have to cross the festival before our meet. Yes. Well, two of them are anyway. Please hurry the pace up a little. Thank you.”

He hung up before looking down at his plate.

“Vladimir you are capable of fetching your own bacon.”

Aphelios carefully cut up and started on his burger as the other members of Domination started to make themselves known. As soon as they emerged, Sett made sure to introduce them and tell him what they did in the band. The first to appear was a man wearing a mesh shirt under his sleeveless leather jacket. Unlike Sett and Zed he’d gone for baggy trousers and knee-high boots, however he looked no less ‘hardcore’ than his bandmates.

“That’s Pyke,” Sett told him, “He’s one of our guitarists.”

As Pyke went to fetch himself two burgers, the next member of Domination appeared. The first thing Aphelios noticed about her was her bright red hair. The next was the fact she was a lot more clothed than Sett was. Even though she had a full leg on one side of her trousers and a shorts-like length on the other. She was introduced as Katarina, Domination’s bassist. She took a long look at Aphelios and Vladimir and stated:

“Aren’t there supposed to be three of you?”

“She has a good point,” said Vladimir, “Where’s Ezreal? Did you two traumatise him so much he never came back?”

 _“That was his fault,”_ Aphelios retorted, _“It shouldn’t be that much of a shock that I can attract a man’s attention.”_

“Yeah,” Sett agreed, “You guys should know Phel’s hot by now.”

Aphelios tried, and failed, not to blush.

“He’ll be around,” Vladimir told Katarina, “If not I’ll make him apologise.”

“I’m not that bothered,” she told him, before going to get her breakfast.

Aphelios had almost finished his food, and Sett had eaten one and a half breakfast burgers, by the time the next member of Domination arrived. Aphelios couldn’t blame her for being late though because she was dressed in a full-on evening gown made of black leather and silk. She even had petticoats and a corset, making her look like some sort of gothic yet modern re-imagining of a vampire, even more so than Vladimir. To add even more time to her preparation, she had a full face of extremely dramatic looking make-up. Red and purple around her eyes, dark lids and lashes and a deep black lipstick that made Aphelios think of Halloween, but in an elegant sort of way.

“Morgana,” Sett supplied through a mouthful of burger, “Singer.”

Morgana also surveyed the members of Uninhibited as she made her way through the seating area. Rather than going to the barbeque she sat down in a cascade of skirts and waited for Zed to come give her something to eat.

“So, this is what all the fuss is about,” she commented and said nothing more. Aphelios couldn’t help but feel slightly unnerved by that. He was feeling increasingly out of place surrounded by this much larger band. He definitely looked out of place with his pale grey skinny jeans and navy button up shirt (patterned with tiny birds, another Alune selection). He wasn’t wearing any leather, not even his shoes, and he was definitely underdressed for the occasion. He was sure if Ezreal showed up, they’d both look out of sorts, but as it stood, both bands were now down a member. According to Vladimir, Domination was a seven-artist group. So that meant there had be one more member who wasn’t currently eating with them. He was just considering texting Ezreal to work out where he was, when he suddenly heard Vladimir hiss:

“Oh shit.”

The last member of Domination had arrived.

And she was horrifically familiar.

Aphelios went from mild discomfort to absolute panic in a matter of seconds. Standing, right at the edge of their seating area, was the Lunari woman from Friday. The very same woman who had chased him across the entirety of Rift Fest. She was suitably leathered up like the rest of her bandmates, but the Lunari tattoos were still extremely obvious. He rocketed out of his chair, knocking his thankfully empty plate to the ground, scattering knife and fork.

“Phel, what’s the-“

Sett was interrupted by Vladimir who had also jumped to his feet, much to the confusion of the rest of Domination.

“Phel!” Vladimir suddenly exclaimed, “Didn’t you promise to ring your sister this morning? She must be getting pretty worried by now! Why don’t you go into the bus and ring her!”

Extremely grateful for this excuse, Aphelios nodded and bolted back into their bus. As he went, he heard Vladimir addressing the Lunari woman:

“Good morning Diana! Can I get you anything to-“

Aphelios took a moment to take off his shoes before bolting straight into his bed before the panic attack set in. He pulled the duvet over himself and turned himself into a ball, mouthing profanity all the while. He knew it had all been too good to be true. There had to be a cost for such a happy night and morning, and that price was having such a terrible reminder of his past right next door. How was it possible for so many shocks to come out of one tour bus? Though he’d take a hundred accidental walk-ins rather than another encounter with the Lunari. As he hid, he wondered if the Lunari woman – Diana – would try to get into their bus now she knew where he was. The thought made his chest hurt and his eyes sting with tears he couldn’t shed. He was shaking from head to toe, wondering if he could ditch the others by phoning a taxi and getting out of there. However, Vladimir was right, he was supposed to ring Alune this morning. But he couldn’t call her like this. She’d definitely demand he come home and abandon the others. Regardless of that, he wasn’t sure his trembling fingers could manage his phone, let alone to talk to her. So, he merely lay there, hoping beyond hope that the law against breaking and entering would protect him in here.

“Phel? Aphelios? You in here bunny?”

Aphelios lay very still even as a familiar voice filled the bus. He heard heavy footfalls and felt the mattress dip as Sett sat on the end of his bed.

“Hey, Phel,” Sett said, his voice low, gentle even, “Vladimir signed me the gist of it. I don’t think anyone else in the band understood but I got the basics of it. I’m not gonna let Di or any moon cultists in this bus ok?”

Vladimir had… so Sett knew? He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It had been a moment of immense trust when he’d told Vladimir, but then Vladimir had just gone and told Sett? He trusted Vladimir but… Judging by what had just happened, with Vladimir immediately finding him a way out, he could only assume Vladimir had his best interests at heart. If he thought it was worth letting Sett know, then maybe, maybe it was.

Ever so slowly, he poked one hand out from under the duvet, peeking from beneath the covers as Sett shifted.

“There you are,” Sett murmured, “You don’t have to come out if you don’t want to. You need anything, just tell me. Told the others I’m not coming to the meet until I’m sure you’re ok.”

Aphelios wanted to cry but couldn’t. This was the second time in only a few days that someone had cared enough for him to sit with him through an episode of panic. He’d expect that Alune. They’d had each other’s backs for years now. But he’d only known Vladimir for a few years and Sett properly for less than a day. But he wanted to be here?

He gently extricated his torso from the blanket cocoon.

 _“You don’t have to,”_ he told Sett tremulously, _“You should go to your meet with your band. The fans might be disappointed.”_

“Nah,” Sett replied, smiling at him, “Six out of seven aint bad and besides, we’ve been touring for months and after this we’ll be touring more. The fans have seen enough of me.”

_“Are you sure?”_

Sett shifted a little up the bed, but not close enough to spook him.

“Absolutely. You don’t deserve to be stuck in here by yourself, especially not when you’re so shaken. Being by yourself when you’re low is the absolute worst. If I’m by myself when I’m down I just make myself worse. You got to have a shoulder to cry on, or at least someone to chat to. And hey, I got some pretty strong shoulders and I’ve been told my hugs are great.”

Somehow his smile was breaking through Aphelios’ terror. It was just so…genuine, that Aphelios had a hard time refusing. Nothing about Sett seemed to be an act. He didn’t seem to be performing or putting on a persona like Aphelios was so used to with his bandmates. It was like Vladimir had said, some people like Ezreal were one hundred percent themselves one hundred percent of the time. He couldn’t help but feel that Sett was in that category. It was quite frankly a breath of fresh air compared to his time spent with his own band and perhaps, with the time spent in his own head.

“ _Can…can I have a hug?”_

He felt a little embarrassed for asking but he just wanted to make sure he wasn’t imagining this. That Sett was definitely there and that he wasn’t just imagining this in his blind panic.

“Sure!” Sett said brightly, “You want to stay in your duvet? I got to warn you, my belts and bits are quite spiky.”

No sooner had Aphelios nodded than he was being scooped up, duvet cocoon and all. Sett sat with his back against the bus, Aphelios in his lap and his feet up on the bed. Aphelios noted silently that he too had taken his boots off.

“How’s that?” Sett asked, as he wrapped Aphelios back up in his duvet then put his arms around him. Aphelios leaned back against his chest, still shaking slightly as he looked up at him.

_“Thank you. I’m so sorry for making you worry.”_

“It’s no problem,” Sett insisted, kissing him on the top of his head, “If I’d done the good host thing and told you about who was in my band before this all happened, maybe showed you some photos, you’d never have got such a nasty shock. That’s on me.”

“ _No, no_ ,” Aphelios insisted, shaking his head for emphasis, “ _You had no way of knowing I’d react like this. My trauma isn’t your fault I’m just… really grateful you’re here now. I mean, we barely know each other but…Thank you.”_

“You’re welcome,” replied Sett, “I might be a bit rough ‘round the edges, but my Ma raised a good man. I’m not going to leave a guy scared and alone when he needs someone by his side. Your friend reckoned I ought to spend some time with you, make sure you’re alright, whilst he distracts my band. Says it’ll be special coming from me, and who am I to say no to that?”

Aphelios made a mental note to thank Vladimir later.

“ _Thank you,”_ Aphelios repeated, unable to stop himself, “ _You’re so kind. I’m not sure what I would do if I was left alone in here.”_

Probably ditched his band and got horribly lost trying to find a taxi, if he hadn’t already had a mental breakdown by that point.

“Well I’m not budging,” Sett told him, “Unless you get fed up of me and tell me to go. Hell, I’ll spend the day in here if you don’t mind me eating your food and using the bathroom.”

 _“I don’t mind,”_ Aphelios told him, _“We might give Ezreal a shock again when he comes back but… hopefully Vladimir has called him by now.”_

“He’s got a sensible head on his shoulders,” Sett agreed, “Do you have to call your Sis at some point?”

Yes, he probably should do that or Alune might get worried. It was already later than he usually would.

 _“You don’t mind?”_ he asked.

Sett shook his head.

“Go ahead. If she’s really the one responsible for getting you following me online, I wanna meet and thank her. Otherwise we’d never have known each other.”

That was true. Aphelios took out his phone with still shaking hands and dialled her number, putting the phone on the bed before them, propped up on his bag. It only took a few rings to get her to pick up.

“Hiya Phel!” she immediately exclaimed, waving at her phone, “I was wondering when you might wake up after all your popstar partying last night! How was-“

She suddenly fell silent as Aphelios tipped the phone so she could see him and the man behind him.

“Oh. My. Stars,” Alune exclaimed, clapping one hand to her face, “Phel, is that who I think that is?!”

 _“Good morning,”_ Aphelios managed, _“Alune, this is Sett. Sett, this is my sister Alune.”_

“Hi Alune,” Sett said, waving at the camera.

Alune let out a high-pitched shriek.

“Brother I can’t believe it! You found the hot guy from Instagram you’ve been dreaming about! He’s actually real! I can’t believe it!”

“He’s been dreaming about me a lot then?” Sett asked her as she continued to flap in excitement.

“Oh bloody hell he has,” Alune proclaimed, “You should see his lyrics book. It’s like his diary where he puts all his deep deep thoughts. He left it in the living room one time and oh my goodness, they get raunchy!”

“ _Alune_!” Aphelios tried to object. He couldn’t believe she’d read his lyrics book!

“I was trying to see if you’d had some kind of writing process, or early drafts of Track 14!” Alune exclaimed, “I wanted secret lyrics and what I found was you describing your ideal dates with this guy! Some of which did make it into the song by the way.”

 _“Alune, please,”_ Aphelios begged her, “ _Calm down, it’s just…You’re embarrassing me.”_

“I’m your big sister, of course I’m embarrassing you!” Alune proclaimed, “It’s kind of my job.”

 _“You’re my manager,”_ Aphelios reminded her, “ _That’s your job. Not-not reading my diary!”_

Sett was clearly finding this very amusing as he chuckled as Aphelios’ face got steadily pinker.

“When were you going to tell this guy your hots for him inspired Track 14?” Alune continued, making Sett jump where he sat.

“You’re telling me I inspired that song?” He asked the phone before him, before glancing at Aphelios, “Were you thinking of me when you were so god-damn gorgeous on Dem-“

“ _I was,”_ Aphelios confessed, cutting him off as if hearing it was far too embarrassing, _“I…needed to imagine being in lust and, and the only time I’d ever really felt that was, well.”_

He buried his face in the duvet as both Sett and Alune beamed at each other.

“You’re a muse Sett!” Alune exclaimed, “An inspiration! I still can’t believe you two have met! What are the chances?”

“Our buses are next door,” Sett told her, “So not impossible, but I didn’t know we’d be so close when we got here.”

“You’re a musician?!” Alune exclaimed, “That’s so cool. What music do you play?”

“I’m the drummer for a rock band,” he told her, “We’re called Domination. You can Google us and find us pretty much everywhere.”

“I’m so going to do that!” Alune exclaimed, “Aah, I can’t believe Phel’s been dreaming about a rockstar and got to finally meet him!”

“Well, I’m pretty lucky to have met him,” Sett replied, giving Aphelios a little squeeze, “I’ve been a fan of his since I found him on social media. First, I just thought he was beautiful, but then I heard that song, and met him and it turns out he’s bright, talented and witty, altogether a charmer.”

Aphelios was going from pink to red. On the plus side, he was distracted from his fear. On the other side, he wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.

“Did you hear that Phel?” Alune shrieked, “He thinks you’re beautiful and talented! You should totally ask him out on a date! Wouldn’t that be so cool?!”

_“Alune, please, I’m not used to any of this. It’s all really sudden. We’ve known each other for less than a day. It’ll be weird if I-“_

“Do you want to go on a date?” Sett asked him. Aphelios nodded before he could stop himself and Alune let out another shriek.

“My brother’s got his first ever date! I’m so proud! You better treat him right Mr Rockstar. My brother deserves the best after all he’s been through! Oh, I’ll leave you two to it to get to know each other better! I’ll call you later Phel! Bye!”

She hung up with a cheery wave.

There was a moment of silence in which Aphelios didn’t know what to do with himself – apologise, hide or try to pretend that never happened.

 _“That…that’s Alune,”_ he managed. How the rush of shock and embarrassment was dying down, his shakes were coming back, proving the distraction had been a fleeting one.

“She seems like a supportive Sis,” Sett commented with a grin, “Very enthusiastic.”

His smile was infectious as Aphelios managed a small one of his own.

_“She is. I don’t think I’d be half the person I am without her. Before the band, before everything got crazy, it was just me and her. We didn’t have any other friends or do much with other people, both of us were…kind of handicapped when it came to leading normal lives. So…yes, she’s my everything. I’ll protect her no matter what…she doesn’t need to know who or what I saw this weekend.”_

“I get you,” Sett replied, drawing him in close after he fetched his phone, “If someone tried to mess with my Ma, I’d stick their head where the sun don’t shine, then make sure they’re locked up for good. For so long it was just the two of us, after my bastard of a dad high-tailed it out of there. If it wasn’t for my Ma, I’d have sent my life down the drain being all angry all the time. But she’s the best mum a guy could ask for. Nothing I wouldn’t do for her.”

 _“Does she approve of you being a rockstar?”_ Aphelios asked, wondering how Sett felt about being separate from his beloved mother all the time whilst on tour.

“Oh yeah,” Sett said, “I phone her every day when we’re touring and whenever we do something new, she goes out and buy it and plays it to her crochet group asap. Kind of shocks all the little old ladies when she starts blasting hard rock, but she loves it. Oh, I can show you a pic.”

He dug out his own phone and muttered to himself as he looked for the right picture. After a moment’s searching, he showed Aphelios a photograph of himself and a petite Vastayan woman, with long lavender hair, the same shade as her long downwards-pointing ears and fluffy dark-tipped tail. Both Sett and his mother were wearing matching black Domination t-shirts as they posed for the selfie.

“First thing I did when we hit big-time,” Sett told him, flipping through photos, “Was buy her this cute cottage out near where she grew up. It’s got this huge garden so she can do all the gardening she wants. She used to talk about all the things she wanted to grow when I was small and we lived in this grotty flat. Now she’s got all the garden, and this big country kitchen for baking, and she can have her book club and her crochet club round and everything! She makes the best jam with the berries from the garden, I get to pick them with her in the summer. I got to send you some sometime.”

His pride and excitement were immensely sweet. Without intending to stereotype, if Aphelios had just seen him in his rock gear with all its leather and spikes, he wouldn’t have envisioned someone who loved his mother and made jam with her in their cottage. However, that was just something else on the growing list of everything he found endearing about Sett.

“ _The first thing I bought from making band money_ ,” he told Sett, “ _Was a powerchair for Alune. Her wheelchair was really old, and I had to push her everywhere, so she got stuck at home a lot. Now she can go all over, to the shops, to university, whenever she wants. She can be independent again. And…and then I got us a bungalow to live in, with all the things she’d need that we couldn’t fit in our old flat.”_

“No wonder she wants the best for you,” Sett commented, “When you’ve done all your best for her.”

“ _I hope I have_ ,” Aphelios replied, “ _I don’t think I would even be doing this band thing if not for her.”_

“Then I’ve got all the more to thank her for,” Sett said.

 _“You don’t have to go on a date with me, just to make her happy,”_ Aphelios added, _“She was…very pushy.”_

“But what if I want to take you out?” replied Sett with a grin, “What if I was planning on asking even without her jumping in?”

“ _Well,”_ Aphelios managed, “ _Then…then we should go on a date.”_

Sett let out a noise somewhere between a whoop and a purr.

“Soon as we get back from Europe,” he promised, “We’re going on tour for a few months, but as soon as we get back, I’ll take you somewhere nice. For now, can I have your number? Just because we’re far away doesn’t mean we can’t chat online.”

Still slightly stunned by this development, Aphelios gave him his number. They proceeded to talk about any number of things, ranging from the festival outside, to what were the best toppings on pizza. Somewhere in the midst of that they discussed how they both got into music in the first place. Sett telling Aphelios about how he’d ended up working as a bouncer at a club with a lot of live rock performances. Being around all the bands gave him the inspiration to pick up drums, practicing on the instruments in the club before it opened and after it closed for the night. After a year or two of the same old shifts, his pre-opening drumming session caught the attention of a new band that was going to be performing that night. The six-man rock group were missing a drummer, not having found one yet, and offered him a try out to be their last member. After that, Domination was completed and the rest was history. It became abundantly clear that Domination had reached far greater heights than Uninhibited, though that could only be expected as they’d existed for over a decade now. They had travelled a lot over the last year or so. Their European tour being the last of three big trips. Sett was looking forward to going home in two months’ time, having not spent more than a few days there at a time since mid-last year.

By the time they heard members of Domination return to their bus, Aphelios was quite distracted from his panic and was trying to show Sett behind the scenes photos on his phone of various shoots and shows he’d been to with Uninhibited. Emphasis on ‘trying’ because members of his band kept coming in to disturb them both.

“Just showering!” Vladimir declared before he did that. He showered, changed into a different outfit, and before they could so much as ask how his morning went, he was gone.

“Probably spending the day with Swain before we’re off on tour,” Sett commented.

Aphelios went back to trying to show him pictures, but the next arrival didn’t want to be ignored.

“Hi!” exclaimed Ezreal, as he finally returned to the bus, ten minutes after Vladimir departed. Aphelios noted that he was wearing a new True Damage shirt and was carrying the polo he’d previously been wearing under one arm. The shirt was off-white with black and metallic gold detailing, much fancier than the ones he’d been wearing previously. He also noticed the signatures about the hem.

Aphelios waved at him as Sett said ‘hi’ back.

“What’s he still doing here?” asked Ezreal, tossing his old shirt into his bag, “Have you even left since last night?”

“I have,” Sett replied, “Just a lot has happened since then.”

Ezreal frowned, the worry of having missed out crossing his features, before he brightened up.

“Oh, like what?”

 _“We had barbeque breakfast with Domination,”_ Aphelios explained, _“Vladimir dressed up all goth and went with them to their fan meet up.”_

“Wasn’t feeling up to it so stayed here to chat with Phel,” Sett finished, “You just missed Vladimir, he was back a moment ago to change before going out again.”

Ezreal let out a loud yawn as he went over to the fridge and found it a lot emptier than it was last night. He opted to drink orange juice out the carton as Aphelios asked

_“What have you been up to? It’s almost lunch time.”_

Ezreal grinned.

“I have so much to tell you guys,” he boasted, “But let’s wait until Vladimir gets back. I’m going to Blow. Your. Minds.”


	6. For My Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returned from his night with True Damage, Ezreal has exciting news for Uninhibited. Yet one man's dreams proves another man's nightmare as Aphelios discovers what this news means.
> 
> Content warnings for this chapter:  
> This chapter references past child abuse in relation to Aphelios and Vladimir. It is not graphic but warrants a warning.  
> There is also sexual content later, unrelated to the previous warning.

Aphelios and Sett stared at him but Ezreal refused to elaborate on his very bold statement. They glanced at each other before Sett stated:

“You having a band meeting then? You want me to go?”

Aphelios instantly raised his hands to object, touching Sett on the arm and looking up at him. He didn’t want Sett to go when he had been so enjoying his company. Yet, it seemed Ezreal wasn’t going to say anything else whilst Sett was around.

“That’s a good idea!” Ezreal proclaimed, “I’ll call Vladimir, it’s meeting time!”

 _“But,”_ Aphelios interjected, “ _You can’t just kick Sett out. We’re hosts and-“_

“It’s ok bunny,” Sett told him, gently shifting him back onto the bed. He brought Aphelios up into a brief kiss on the lips before shuffling away. Aphelios still didn’t want him to go. Maybe he was being selfish, but just sitting here with Sett, talking, had been wonderful.

“I’ve got your number. We can meet up before it’s time to pack up and go.”

 _“I’d like that_ ,” Aphelios replied regretfully, _“Dinner, maybe?”_

“Sounds like a plan,” Sett agreed, “I should probably call Ma to let her know how I’m getting on. See you in a bit, bunny, Ezreal.”

He gave them a wave as he departed the bus, leaving a definite emptiness in his wake. Aphelios turned back to his bandmate, wondering why he felt so out of sorts. He was going to see Sett again, why did he miss him already?

“He calls you ‘bunny’?” Ezreal asked, smirking as he sat down on the end of Aphelios’ bed.

“ _I was wearing my bunny pyjamas when we met,”_ Aphelios explained, “ _Also he…first saw me in photos from the bunny shoot. I don’t mind, it’s a cute nickname.”_

“Man, you really did get laid in those pyjamas,” Ezreal chuckled, “Does Vladimir know?”

Aphelios nodded, suddenly remembering the last time Ezreal had walked in on him and Sett together. He was about to scold Ezreal and demand him to delete that photo, when Ezreal raised his wrist to his mouth and demanded of his watch:

“Call Vladimir.”

 **Calling Vladimir** , said a mechanical-sounding woman’s voice. There were a few ringing noises before a familiar voice issued from the smartwatch.

“Oh, now you show your face,” Vladimir sighed, “Where have you been?”

“Good morning to you too,” Ezreal told him, “Can you come back to the bus? Urgent band meeting, we’ve just got one hell of an opportunity.”

“Fine,” Vladimir replied, “I’m on my way. This better be worth it.”

“Oh, it is,” Ezreal insisted as Vladimir hung up. He turned to Aphelios as he looked about the bus, kicking off his shoes.

“Where do you reckon he is? Vladimir, I mean.”

Aphelios shrugged.

 _“Probably with Swain?”_ he suggested, “ _Neither of them are performing today and the meet up is done now.”_

“Ah yeah,” Ezreal replied, “His Sugar Daddy… I can’t believe he kept that a secret from us all these years.”

Aphelios could, even before he’d learnt what he had. The fact was, however, that he now knew more about Vladimir’s past than Ezreal did. Of course, he’d honour his promise to Vladimir not to share his secrets. Though that agreement meant not correcting Ezreal by saying Swain wasn’t Vladimir’s Sugar Daddy anymore.

 _“Do you want to watch the festival on TV whilst we wait for Vladimir?”_ he suggested as their conversation lapsed into silence.

“Oh, hell no,” Ezreal proclaimed, “We’re looking up that Swain guy on Google!” Ezreal whipped out his phone as he made himself comfy at the end of Aphelios’ bed. Aphelios was momentarily torn by indecision. He’d promised Vladimir not to go prying into his private life, but he hadn’t made any promises about Swain’s. Were those technically the same private life if they were a couple? Or would they keep their identities separate online too? They both seemed sensible enough not to post secrets on the internet. They had kept their relationship hidden to practically everyone, and everyone included the internet. A Google search was probably safe, right?

“Alright,” Ezreal said, after connecting to the bus’s Wi-Fi, “Ok Google let’s see what you’ve got for Swain from Domination.”

Curiosity killed the cat, or perhaps in this case, most of the band. Aphelios gave into temptation and sat beside Ezreal to see what had turned up on his phone. It turned out a lot. The first entry was the man’s own website, followed by that of Domination. Yet under those they got a pleasant surprise.

“ _He’s got his own Wikipedia page_ ,” Aphelios commented. As soon as he’d pointed it out, Ezreal immediately clicked on it.

It wasn’t just a Wikipedia page, it was a long Wikipedia page, starting with early years and leading all the way to media appearances. Ezreal cleared his throat and began to read out the introduction so Aphelios didn’t have to crane his neck trying to peer in for a better look.

“For the last fifteen years, Jericho Swain has been an impartial political advisor to some of United Kingdom’s top Cabinet Ministers and past Prime Ministers. He works as a senior partiless consultant for all levels of British Government holding an office in Mayfair London,” Ezreal read aloud, “Wait, is this the same guy?”

Aphelios, who could just about read the contents on Ezreal’s very large phone, pointed to a lower paragraph.

“To fans of alternate music however,” Ezreal continued, “Jericho Swain may be better known as the classical musician in hardcore rock band “Domination” - frequently touring with the band and consulting from hotels or a private office on the “Domination” tour bus. When asked about the contrast between his two careers, Jericho Swain was quoted as saying- “Having one profession would become rather stale. It is adapting to new circumstances on a daily basis that keeps a mind fresh.”

Ezreal looked at Aphelios, eyebrows raised.

“Vladimir’s screwing a guy who advises our government?”

 _“Looks like it,”_ Aphelios replied, already reading ahead to the section labelled “Rise to Public Knowledge.”

According to this Wikipedia article, Jericho Swain had been born to historic English aristocracy. His father was a senior politician and member of the House of Lords and his mother the direct descendant of a Baroness. He was schooled at Eton before studying for a Bachelor of Arts then Masters at King’s College Cambridge in Politics and History.

“Well of course Vladimir chose a fellow posh twat,” Ezreal commented, but Aphelios merely carried on reading.

After his university years, Jericho Swain confused his lecturers immensely by then signing up for the British Army, rising in the ranks swiftly due to his Lord of a father. However, the Wikipedia article then went onto speculate that the placement in the army may not have been voluntary. News reports had emerged that Jericho Swain’s father had been the one to enlist him in the armed forces, and Swain was known to take extended breaks from his career as a General. He would later quit entirely after eighteen years of service. According to this article, Jericho Swain would then proceed to go under the radar until the tumultuous event of the Oil Raids Scandal, that saw his father and other prominent figures in the House of Lords put behind bars. Intrigued, Aphelios read on to discover that, eight years ago, damning and decisive evidence had emerged that four senior politicians had been using criminal gang networks to threaten foreign oil barons into securing profits for their own, illegal, oil distribution operations. The driving force behind the investigation, and the one who had procured much of the evidence, was Jericho Swain. He had been responsible for putting his own father behind bars where he would later die of old age. According to this article, Swain did not visit him in prison to say a final goodbye.

“That’s seriously cool,” Ezreal remarked, “Like a real-life spy movie.”

Aphelios thought he remembered something about the Oil Raids Scandal from the news but they hadn’t had a TV back then so it was probably just in passing.

“Oh look!” Ezreal said as he scrolled down further, “Over the last six years, Jericho Swain has been seen in the company of a much younger man, recently identified as the lead singer of popular boyband Uninhibited, Vla- oh hell yeah he’s got a page too!”

They were seemingly done with Swain’s page as they were now looking at Vladimir’s. Whatever Ezreal hoped to find on there, he was going to be disappointed. A quick glance told Aphelios there was no early life section, in fact nothing before the last eight years.

“What the… where is everything?” Ezreal asked, scrolling down the page to merely find a list of their own performances, photoshoots, shows etc.

“Where’s the early years, the school photos, the anything?” Ezreal exclaimed, “They must at least know where he was born!”

There was nothing. The earliest mention of Vladimir was in reference to his work as an influencer. It was as if, before then, Vladimir had simply never existed. Aphelios remembered that Vladimir had told him not to ask after anything that happened before he was twenty. Vladimir was twenty-eight. So, he was actively trying to hide anything that happened more than eight years ago, and Wikipedia only had information on him for the past eight years. Also, he’d learned today that Vladimir had been with Swain for eight years and…

Wait.

Hadn’t he just read that the Oil Raid Scandal was also eight years ago? Way too much had happened in the same year for those not to be related. Was Vladimir involved in the Oil Raid Scandal? Was that how he and Swain met? Was that why being with Swain was a matter of personal safety, of survival for Vlad? Swain was protecting him from the fallout of his investigation! But why?

“What the fuck…” Ezreal suddenly whispered, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Aphelios stopped thinking about the oil scandal for a moment to see that Ezreal was now scrolling through the photos of Vladimir attached to his Wikipedia page. Most of them were familiar, from concerts or photoshoots. But Ezreal had stopped on one that Aphelios had never seen before. He then read out the caption of photograph.

“According to devoted fans, Vladimir’s first recorded public appearance was at a Pentakill concert in Berlin, Germany. Several photographs of the young Vladimir, believed to be eighteen at the time, have surfaced online- usually depicting him with the guitarist Mordekaiser. Unconfirmed sources claimed that the pair were in a relationship at the time.”

The picture loaded to reveal what looked like a gig’s after party. Vladimir was undeniably there, looking far too young, sat in the lap of an absolutely enormous man covered in tattoos. Vladimir’s hair was much shorter in this old photo and he didn’t look at all happy to be there.

“This is majorly skeeving me out,” Ezreal confessed, “That’s not an outfit Vlad would put on of his own choice – it’s not his brand. And look at the top left.”

He zoomed into the photo, revealing that this was probably a still from a video – there was a date and time in the corner. It was half three in the morning, on the twenty-first of February… eleven years ago.

“Oh shit...He’s seventeen,” Ezreal muttered, “This is so fucked up. What was he doing with Mordekaiser at seventeen? That’s not right. That’s seriously fucked up, the guy’s at least fifteen, maybe twenty, years older than him.”

Ezreal’s voice was steadily getting higher as if the true magnitude of what he was seeing was setting in fast. Aphelios remembered what Vladimir had told him whilst incredibly drunk – that he’d had to survive and talk for his life aged sixteen. And hadn’t he said, after Aphelios had encountered Diana for the first time, that there were parts of his life he would rather die than repeat? This was getting way too personal too fast. Vladimir would not want them snooping around into his past abuse, any more than Aphelios would want his bandmates investigating his. On instinct, he suddenly grabbed Ezreal’s phone out of his hand and closed the Wikipedia pages before they could search for anymore.

“What the hell?” Ezreal exclaimed as he realised Aphelios had his phone. As soon as the search was out of his browser history, Aphelios gave the phone back.

 _“Don’t ask him about this,”_ he told Ezreal, his expression serious “ _Don’t even tell him we saw this. This is none of our business. If he wants to share this with us when he’s ready, that’s up to him. This wasn’t for us to know, that’s why there’s nothing on his wiki page before the age of twenty.”_

“Fine, fine,” Ezreal said, as if slightly baffled by how grave Aphelios now looked, “Where is Vladimir anyway?”

Aphelios looked around the bus and then back to Ezreal’s phone. It had been almost half an hour since Ezreal called him last. Where was he? Ezreal tapped his watch again.

“Call Vladimir.”

 **Calling Vladimir.** It took a few more rings this time, but Vladimir did pick up.

“Yes Ezreal?”

“Mate, where are you?” Ezreal demanded, “I said urgent meeting, it’s been half an hour.”

“I have been attempting to return,” Vladimir replied. His voice sounded extremely tense, as if he was speaking through clenched teeth.

“However, there has been an impediment.”

Aphelios, already on high alert after what they had just read, stared at Ezreal’s wrist in alarm.

“What do you mean?” Ezreal asked, “Where are you?”

“I’m in the Performers’ Bar Tent,” Vladimir replied, “However, I cannot leave the Performers’ Bar Tent without attracting some…unwanted attention.”

“Fans?” demanded Ezreal, “You can deal with a few fans!”

“Not fans, no,” Vladimir snapped, “Quite the opposite.”

“Haters?” Ezreal replied, also growing more annoyed, “Vladimir, you can deal with-“

“No, not haters!” Vladimir hissed, lowering his voice but speaking with no less anger, “Enemies. I have enemies Ezreal. And they are right by the exit and I can’t go near them. They’ve already recognised me and I can’t do anything by myself.”

Aphelios was already on his feet. He grabbed his phone, wallet and bus key as well as his day-bag from the side of the bed. As he picked up the bag, he noticed his pyjama hoodie was on the floor there from where he’d tossed it last night. Vladimir was trapped in the bar by people who recognised him and could catch him on the way out. They had to get him out and make sure no one recognised him, which meant… He grabbed the fluffy rabbit hoodie off the ground and stuffed it into his bag.

“Phel, what are you doing?” Ezreal asked.

 _“I’m going to get him,”_ Aphelios told him, _“He did right by me. I’ll do right by him.”_

“Aphelios is coming to get you,” Ezreal told his watch, “He says that you did right by him, so he’ll do right by you.”

There was a noise somewhere between a gasp and a choked whimper from the other end of the line.

“Tell him I’ll be by the juice bar,” Vladimir stated, “And that he needs to be careful.”

Aphelios nodded to show that he understood.

“He’s on his way,” Ezreal stated, “I’ll…err…keep you in contact, I guess. Stay safe?”

He seemed entirely unsure of the situation as Aphelios marched towards the door. Vladimir had helped him after meeting Diana twice, going above and beyond to make sure he was physically and mentally safe afterwards. Even if Aphelios hadn’t seen what he just had, he would do nothing less than the same to make sure Vladimir was ok. Admittedly, he wasn’t sure what he’d find when he’d get there. However his day-bag (or man-purse as Alune called it) had a few tools to help him out. In addition to the hoodie, he had a bottle of Lynx deodorant in his bag. He’d brought it specifically because at school they’d been taught it was a legal way of owning pepper spray, as it contained the same chemicals. He also had a multipurpose tool he used to carry around to fix Alune’s terrible wheelchair. Her new powerchair had yet to break down so now it was just handy to have on him. If in doubt, one of the attachments was a knife, but he hoped things wouldn’t get that far. It had been a while since he’d fought off playground bullies and shitty teenagers who’d tried to pick on his sister. However, if he needed to fight, then so be it. He also had a lot of table-napkins in there because it turned out drunk him had collected many from the VIP lounge. He didn’t know what he’d use those for, but they’d probably come in use at some point.

The Performers’ Bar Tent was very easy to find as it had been signposted throughout the campsite. He showed his wristband to the security at the entrance and entered the packed marquee to see a variety of bars, food vendors and plenty of diner-style seating that had been set up throughout the tent. He spotted the brightly coloured juice bar and pushed through the crowd to find Vladimir skulking next to the bins. Vladimir didn’t acknowledge him until he was right next to him, and then passed him a plastic beaker full of juice.

 _“Look at the exit,”_ Vladimir signed to him, still not saying anything, _“But be subtle.”_

Aphelios drank his juice and glanced over the crowd. He almost choked on his drink as he spotted most of Pentakill stood right next to the arch labelled OUT. Of course, this group included the very man that Aphelios had seen with an underage Vladimir and he understood perfectly well why Vladimir didn’t want to attract his attention. Mordekaiser was talking to his bandmates but he kept glancing into the crowd as if looking for someone. It looked like Vladimir was hidden for now, but he was right, if he went for the exit he would absolutely be spotted.

Aphelios pulled out the bunny hoodie. Vladimir stared at it.

“ _Why_ ,” he signed, “ _Do you think I’d ever need something so…”_

He paused.

_“Something so…so unlike anything I’d ever actually wear. Phel, you’re a genius.”_

He took the fluffy bunny hoodie, putting his juice down on a nearby table so he could pull it over his head. It was purposefully big on Aphelios, but on the shorter Vladimir it fell down almost to his knees. He pulled the hood up and tucked in his hair, resulting in him being mostly obscured by grey fluff.

 _“This smells like sex but given the circumstances, I’ll forgive you,”_ Vladimir told him, “ _Now how do we get out?”_

Aphelios had been thinking of that whilst Vladimir donned his disguise. He couldn’t help but notice that a lot of the people in here were travelling about in groups of about six to ten people. He didn’t know if they were bands or the teams around bands, however that didn’t matter.

 _“As soon as one of those big groups goes to leave,”_ he replied, _“We try to blend in with them. As soon as they set off, we get into the group and go.”_

Vladimir nodded. Surveying the bar as a whole, they were forced to play a waiting game whilst dodging the roving gaze of Pentakill. Aphelios was certain that the heavy metal band had no idea who he was, so did the bulk of the look-out work. He didn’t comment on how being a relative nobody was actually advantageous in this situation but it was absolutely true. He watched as a particularly glamorous looking woman entered the tent surrounded by an entourage of people in pale denims and pastels. Their look was very uniform, and perfect for disguising himself in his pale jeans and a man in a bunny hoodie. He watched as the woman strode over to the coffee shop stall and deposited a glittering thermos on the counter. As soon as it was filled, she turned on her heels and appeared to be on the way out.

“ _Quick,”_ Aphelios told Vladimir, “ _With them_.”

Vladimir grabbed his hand so they weren’t separated as they joined the fancy lady’s entourage. The group was so abuzz with conversation, so many of the members having phone calls, that they didn’t notice two strangers in their midst. Aphelios couldn’t help but notice that Vladimir’s grip got very tight as they approached the entrance. He gave his hand a comforting squeeze, putting himself in between Vladimir and any line of sight Pentakill may have. It didn’t help that they were all so tall, but then again, Aphelios was the taller out of the pair. If they wanted to see anyone, they would see him, leaving Mordekaiser no clue that his search was over.

As soon as they out of the bar tent, they split off from the pastel posse. Vladimir broke into a sprint, but didn’t let go of Aphelios, making him run along at the same pace. They didn’t stop until they were safely ensconced between their and Domination’s buses. At the sound of their frantic footfalls, Ezreal stuck his head out of the door.

“There you are! What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Vladimir panted, finally letting go so he could climb into the bus, “Tell us this news of yours. I’ve had enough of this damned festival.”

Aphelios joined them, realising he’d done all that without putting his shoes on. His socks were incredibly filthy now. He peeled them off and shoved them in his dirty laundry bag as Vladimir went over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of sparkling water – downing half the thing in one go. Ezreal, looking slightly bewildered, sat on one of the sofas he’d reassembled from his bed. Aphelios also found a drink before taking a seat. He half-agreed with Vladimir. Parts of this festival had been heaven on earth – their performance and the parts he’d spent with Sett. The rest however had been terrifying. So much had happened in so little time he was looking forward to going home. They’d promised each other at least a week of no band business. Aphelios was looking forward to having lie ins and spending time with Alune.

“Well don’t worry, we’ve got plenty to look forward to!” Ezreal proclaimed, “As you should very much be aware, I spent the entirety of last night with True Damage.”

“Briefly coming back to scream at Phel’s ass,” Vladimir commented, “You have a photo to delete by the way.”

 _“Yes,”_ Aphelios agreed, _“Immediately.”_

Ezreal however was not to be denied his explanation.

“Well, I had the best time at the party,” he continued, “It was fantastic! Yasuo did this brilliant set, he had the full turntables, all the buttons and switches, it was so cool. They had this huge inflatable pool full of inflatable flamingos and pineapples and stuff, their own pop-up bar, they’d even bought in a catering team to cook them pizzas and hot dogs and all sorts of amazing food! And the guests! Akali brought all her bandmates from K/D/A, as well as this really cute girl who’s supposed their new collab artist or something. Seraph or something. Anyway! I’d never believed you could turn a campsite into such a-“

“And **we** both had fantastic evenings being thoroughly pleasured by gorgeous rock stars,” Vladimir interrupted, “The news, please, Ezreal.”

 _“You can tell us about the party afterwards, or you can tell me if Vlad doesn’t want to listen,”_ Aphelios promised, not wanting to ruin his fun. This was evidently a momentous occasion for him, getting to meet his favourite band of all time. Aphelios wasn’t going to take that achievement away from him.

“Alright,” Ezreal sighed, though his enthusiasm swiftly came back at full force.

“After I came back later, the party had sort of died down and it was mostly True Damage sitting around after everything had been packed up. We just sat and chatted for a long time. I met some of them during the party, but I didn’t think they actually knew who I was. Turns out they did!”

He did a little excited wiggle in his seat.

“We chatted a lot before going to bed. They were really nice and let me sleep on the sofa – they’ve got a huge bus like Domination’s. It’s so cool. Anyway, the next morning I got up and thought they’d kick me out, but instead Ekko made me breakfast and told me to sit down in their band meeting.”

“Did you die of fanboyish glee?” Vladimir asked. Ezreal stuck his tongue at him.

“I was very professional,” he retorted, “I’ll have you know I did not scream or faint or anything the entire night.”

 _“Congratulations,”_ Aphelios told him.

“Thank you,” Ezreal replied, clearly pleased with himself, “Anyway, turns out they’d been talking whilst I wasn’t there. Not only did they know who I was, but they also knew about us, Uninhibited. It turns out they found out about us through Phel’s performance on Demacia Vice.”

“Like most of the world it seems,” Vladimir commented. Ezreal ignored him and ploughed on:

“They found out we were here from the line up, so Senna and Ekko watched our performance yesterday, to scout us out. Turns out they’re doing a charity gig in about two months’ time. We’re talking a big London gig and they need a local band to come open for them. And guess who lives less than an hour away!”

 _“Us?”_ Aphelios replied.

“Us!” Ezreal exclaimed, “They want us to open for them! We’re going to be the warm up act for True Damage, isn’t that just the coolest thing EVER?!”

Now he was fanboy-ing. He was bouncing up and down his seat, causing the springs attached to his bed to creak.

“What exactly did you agree to?” Vladimir asked, “Was this just chat or did you actually sign anything?”

“Erm,” Ezreal bounced a little slower, “I kind of signed this show outline thing they showed me. They’re going to send us all the information we need in the post!”

Vladimir sighed deeply.

“You can’t just make decisions for the whole band like that,” he groaned, “Did you even think about calling us?”

“You make decisions for us all the time,” Ezreal objected, “You book pretty much all our performances unless I step in and stop you.”

“Yes, but those aren’t an Arena performance!” Vladimir retorted, “With a group of international superstars! This is…this could be bigger than even Rift Fest!”

He gestured to the windows to indicate the festival outside. As he did, he seemed to remember what he was wearing and began to take the bunny hoodie off. He flung it back at Aphelios before continuing:

“If we’re here.” Vladimir put his hand about knee height, “In terms of fame, Domination is about here.”

He put his other hand about chin height.

“And True Damage is the roof,” he declared, pointing upwards, “This isn’t something we can take on lightly.”

“I know!” Ezreal exclaimed, “Isn’t it amazing! We’ll be performing to an entire arena! It’ll be the biggest thing we’ve ever done! When are we ever going to get this chance again!”

Vladimir huffed loudly. Aphelios meanwhile wasn’t entirely sure why he was objecting so strongly. He had leapt at the opportunities presented by Demacia Vice. He’d been very excited about attending Rift Fest. So why was he so up in arms about a huge charity gig? Was it just because he didn’t to choose or control this performance? Or was he still out of sorts about what had just happened?

 _“If you’re not comfortable with it,”_ he said to Vladimir, _“I’m sure we can go to True Damage and explain.”_

“I’m perfectly comfortable with it,” Vladimir replied, “However I would have preferred a lot more warning before we have to present ourselves to an entire arena. We have, what two months, and we’ll have to choose our tracks, practice, arrange transport and accommodation, and try and fit in with their style. Organising our staging is a lot of work, and we’re going to have to orchestrate an entire arena set-up?”

“Oh, True Damage’s team can help us with that,” Ezreal said, dismissively waving a hand, “They’re even going to get us outfits and we can use their stylists! We just have to send them our measurements and they’ll get us cool clothes like theirs!”

Vladimir wrinkled his nose at that.

“What are they expecting from us?” he asked.

Ezreal sat up a little straighter in his seat, recommencing his bouncing.

“They want a thirty-minute set from us to open the show. And then…listen to this, they want us to join them for the last two songs of the show!”

Wait, was he saying what Aphelios thought he was?

 _“They want us to perform with them?”_ he checked, _“With their songs?”_

“Yeah!” Ezreal exclaimed, “Isn’t that amazing!”

Aphelios didn’t really know any of their songs. He’d only just discovered who they were through Ezreal. Whilst he did enjoy watching them, he had spent most of that performance doing shots with Vladimir. He couldn’t quote a single lyric.

 _“I can’t play any of their songs,”_ he informed Ezreal.

“They’ll be sending us sheet music with the stuff in the post, and there’ll be rehearsals,” Ezreal assured him, though his smile swiftly turned a little more awkward, “Though on that note… I don’t think they want you to, err, play anything…per se.”

_“What do you mean?”_

Ezreal gave a nervous laugh.

“Well, True Damage were quite specific in how they wanted to…perform with us. They only want one of us to sing and…and… well, Senna said it had to be you. She doesn’t want to sing with Vlad.”

“What?” Vladimir stated.

Aphelios couldn’t help but mirror that sentiment.

“She’s got nothing against you,” Ezreal hastily assured him, “She just likes Phel’s voice better.”

 _“But I can’t just…sing on command,”_ Aphelios told him, _“You told them that right?”_

“I did,” Ezreal told him, “I explained your situation but…but they…”

He gave a deep sigh, visibly deflating in front of them, all bouncing ceased.

“They mostly want you. Turns out they really liked that Demacia Vice performance and all the other versions of Track 14. It’s not really about Uninhibited, our music, or Vlad and I really. They want to add your voice to their overall sound. It doesn’t really matter if we’re there, except for the opening.”

He sounded very bummed out about that. It was kind of harsh really if they’d gone and out and told Ezreal that. Especially as he was such a fan. Judging by how excited he was about the whole thing, the knowledge that he wasn’t True Damage’s main motivation had to be…hard at the very least.

“So, they want Aphelios on vocals, and if they don’t get it, we don’t get to perform at their concert,” Vladimir summarised.

“Pretty much,” Ezreal mumbled, glancing at Aphelios across the sofa, “We’ve got seven weeks until the show, five until they want to do a rehearsal with us.”

That wasn’t long at all. How was he supposed to be able to sing on command in five weeks? Yet, if he couldn’t… They wouldn’t get the chance to perform with one of the biggest bands in the world right now. Ezreal wouldn’t be able to meet his favourite people in the whole world once more. They’d be going back on that agreement Ezreal boldly signed. Performing with True Damage must be something like a dream come true for Ezreal. It would undoubtedly do wonders for the popularity of Uninhibited. And it was all contingent on him wrangling his voice into action? He couldn’t ruin his friend’s dreams without feeling like a monster! They couldn’t turn down such a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Oh, moon’s grace, he had five weeks. So much for time off…

“ _I will try,”_ he told Ezreal, _“But you have to understand, this might result in me having a panic attack in front of True Damage at rehearsal. I’ve had more public panic attacks but… it’s not going to look good if you’re trying to impress them.”_

“Are you sure?” Vladimir asked him, shock passing through his expression, “We can just say no.”

They really couldn’t.

 _“I will try,”_ he repeated, “ _That’s all I can promise.”_

“Thank you!” exclaimed Ezreal, “I’m so sorry for putting you on the spot like this but…but… it’s True Damage! We get to spend time with True Damage!”

He leapt forward to hug Aphelios around the middle.

“You’re the best Phel, the best best best!”

Aphelios gently patted him on the back, exchanging a worried look with Vladimir as he did so.

It was hard to think of much else for the rest of their time at Rift Fest. Even when they got to have pizza with Domination that evening, he was forced to listen to Ezreal’s stories about the party from the safety of Sett’s lap. Sett noticed he was out of sorts as he barely touched his food. Upon hearing his explanation, Sett pulled a face:

“Your bandmates can be real jerks sometimes. Do ya get to choose anything you guys do?”

He had a good point. However, that was a discussion for another time. Aphelios felt a bit better with his attention, but reality came back fast as they had to say their goodbyes the following morning. Domination had a day at home before they were off on their European tour, taking the bus straight across the channel to France on Wednesday. Aphelios and Sett arranged some times to call each other, still standing outside Domination’s bus as they prepared to set off.

“I’ll see you soon bunny,” Sett promised, “At least over video. Still hard to believe this all happened over one weekend.”

 _“It’s crazy,”_ Aphelios agreed, _“Though, I’m very glad it did.”_

“Yeah,” Sett chuckled, “Who knew I was going to come away from Rift Fest with a cute-ass boyfriend and a future date?”

Aphelios blushed. He hadn’t dared think of Sett as his boyfriend, since they’d only really just agreed to date. However, if that was what Sett wanted, he had no objections.

 _“Who knew I’d get to meet the man I’d dreamt about and find he’s nicer than I ever imagined._ ” he replied with a bashful smile, “ _Don’t miss me too much, ok?”_

Sett leaned down to kiss him as the bus revved behind them both, the lights momentarily flashing as Domination prepared to go.

“I dunno, that seems hard,” Sett replied, “I’ll just have to cope until I call you in France.”

“I look forward to it,” Aphelios stepped back as the enormous tour bus began to reverse towards the main road out of the campsite. Sett waved before jogging to keep up, grabbing the door and swinging inside as Aphelios waved goodbye.

“You two are so sappy,” Vladimir commented from the doorway to their own bus.

“I think it’s cute,” said Ezreal.

“You would,” said Vladimir, who had been remarkably dour since he’d left Domination’s bus that morning. Aphelios could only assume he’d be missing Swain during the two months when Domination would be travelling around Europe. Not that he couldn’t call him either, but he guessed after a weekend of being together, it certainly wouldn’t be the same. Aphelios had known Sett a few days and was already missing him.

No sooner had he set a foot in a door, then Alune cornered him and demanded a complete rundown of Rift Fest from start to finish. Needless to say, Aphelios didn’t mention Diana, or escaping with Vladimir. He also refused to go into too much detail about what he’d done with Sett on Saturday night. However, his sister’s knowing smirk meant she likely had a good idea without him needing to go into specifics. She made sure he had tea and snacks as she asked him about everything from life in the bus to how the festival was laid out over its many fields. Alune had spent the weekend studying and doing university work, with the festival on in the background. Apparently, this had not sated her curiosity about all the acts she’d seen. She was a little disappointed that Aphelios had spent most of the festival in the bus, rather than being able to give her a first-hand account of various musicians he’d never even heard of. However, when he told her about the sheer noise and claustrophobia of being at the Pentakill set, she understood his hesitance. Aphelios did his best to describe True Damage’s performance, with all their special effects and dancers. However, it turned out she’d seen it all on television anyway. When it came to remembering what had happened, she was better at it than he was. Knowing that was the fault of the vodka, he merely nodded in agreement to everything she said. Not quite prepared to tell her he’d ignored her advice and gotten drunk regardless.

He was just telling her about the contents of the Performers’ Bar Tent, when he was interrupted by a loud meow.

“Oh!” Alune said, as a cat appeared around the back of Aphelios’ armchair. Aphelios stared at it. They didn’t have a cat. Or did they? This didn’t look like just any cat. It looked very much like the neighbours’ pet that used to wander into their old flat. She had always been a weird purplish-grey, with big blue eyes that could definitely see into your soul. The gold collar was exactly the same too.

_“Alune?”_

“I have news too,” she proclaimed, patting the arm of the sofa so the cat leapt up and joined her, “Guess who came and found us! She let herself in on Friday evening!”

 _“Yuumi?”_ Aphelios asked, bewildered, _“We’re over an hour’s drive away from where we lived before? How did she find us?”_

The cat let out a very self-satisfied meow before settling into Alune’s lap and staring at him with those soul-searching eyes.

“I have no idea,” said Alune, “I took her to the vets to make sure she’s ok. Turns out she’s the epitome of health, but she doesn’t have a microchip, or any sort of address on her collar. I rang the landlord of our old flat, and the lady across the road, but neither have heard of anyone missing a cat around there.”

“ _But she has an owner_ ,” Aphelios stated, _“She must do. I mean, we fed her when we could, but…someone must be looking for her.”_

They had always assumed Yuumi was some sort of fancy pedigree due to her odd purple hue and ostentatious collar.

“I rang the RSPCA and the local vets round there and they say they’ll keep an ear out, but nothing has been reported,” Alune informed him, “So for now, she’s ours.”

Aphelios wasn’t sure that was how that worked, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. Yuumi seemed very content to be on Alune’s lap as she let out a ‘mrah’ sound that almost resembled an agreement. Alune scratched her behind the ears as she asked:

“So where did Ezreal end up going?”

Recounting what Ezreal had told them about the party, Aphelios realised they were straying ever closer to the topic that had him stressed all the way home from Rift Fest. When he finally got there, Alune frowned slightly.

“Are you sure you can do that Brother?”

Aphelios shook his head.

“ _I don’t know,”_ he confessed, “ _I don’t think so. I haven’t even sung Track 14 in months. I’m scared that I’ve lost the ability again.”_

She pushed herself a little forward on the sofa towards him, prompting a curious ‘prrp’ from Yuumi.

 _“I had to agree though_ ,” he continued, “ _I can’t be the one to ruin Ezreal’s dreams. He loves True Damage and this is perhaps our only chance for him to spend more time with them.”_

She smiled at him, but her eyes were full of pity.

“You can’t keep putting other people’s happiness over your own Phel. I know it’s as natural to you as breathing but, you need to think about your own comfort too. What happens when you breakdown in front of True Damage?”

“ _I know, I warned them about that_ ,” Aphelios replied, “ _And I’m almost certain I will. It’s five weeks until we have to meet True Damage for rehearsal. It took me over six months to sing Track 14.”_

“Well if you try going through with this, I’m coming to that rehearsal,” Alune declared, “I don’t care how famous they are. I am your manager and your sister.”

She patted the sofa next to her and Aphelios came and joined her. Yuumi promptly stretched out her front paws now she had double the lap to occupy. Aphelios leant his head on Alune’s shoulder as she put an arm round him.

“You’re going to try though, aren’t you?” she said.

 _“I can’t refuse the band this chance_ ,” said Aphelios, “ _Also I need to live up to what Track 14 got us into. True Damage only knows about us because of Demacia Vice. We were only invited to Rift Fest because of Demacia Vice. This happened because of me so…I have to take responsibility; I have to be the singer the band needs.”_

“You don’t have to,” Alune told him, “Your health is more important than a concert. Besides, this is definitely Ezreal’s responsibility for signing you up for this. If it fails, it’s on him.”

 _“I don’t want to fail,”_ he replied, _“I know you and Vladimir will forgive me. But this is so big for Ezreal. I need to repay the faith he had in me in inviting me into this band in the first place.”_

“Whatever happens, I’m not going to care for you any less,” she reminded him, “And I’m sure that’s the same for your bandmates. Don’t hurt yourself by pushing too hard at your boundaries.”

_“I know.”_

They sat there for a moment, only Yuumi’s purring and occasional chitter breaking through the silence of the living room. She had always been a very chatty cat. Aphelios stroked her head as Alune gave him the occasional comforting squeeze.

“Do you want to watch your performance on TV?” she offered. Aphelios nodded, enjoying how soft Yuumi’s fur was.

Alune picked up the TV remote and quickly found where she’d recorded their set. Seeing himself on television hadn’t got any less surreal, but Aphelios found himself smiling as he watched the band strut around on stage as if they belonged there. Alune let out little gasps at her favourite parts and clapped after every song. Even Yuumi looked up to watch as Aphelios and Ezreal did their guitar duet. Aphelios couldn’t help but notice how much everyone was smiling on stage. A fact that didn’t seem lost on Alune either.

“Hey Phel?”

He tore his eyes off the TV to look at her.

“You sing by immersing yourself into a strong emotion, right?” Alune asked, “The album version of Track 14 was confusion, sadness and a bit of lust. The TV version was one hundred percent unadulterated lust.”

He nodded, wishing she didn’t put it like that. She was right though.

“Have you ever tried to sing from a place of joy?” she asked, “Or from feeling victorious? Negativity is strong sure, but could you remember occasions like this?”

She pointed at the screen.

“Could you try singing whilst your head’s full of thoughts about everything you’ve done well? Surround yourself with positivity.”

 _“Maybe,”_ he replied, _“I guess I could try.”_

The following day, they received two large pieces of mail. The first was a glossy black box with a metallic gold trim. Aphelios placed it on the table with the usual array of envelopes, immediately attracting Alune’s attention as she tried to ward Yuumi away from her cereal bowl. Alune had taken full responsibility for feeding and cleaning up after Yuumi. She’d ordered for a cat flap to be fitted in their kitchen, but so far Yuumi had been very good at going out into the garden to do her business and then coming back indoors. Alune had however made her brother promise that he was going to be the one who cleared up if Yuumi brought a bird or mouse in. Aphelios accepted this responsibility, considering that Yuumi spent most of her time sat on Alune’s lap or desk, rather than being an apex predator. Right now, Yuumi was too busy harassing Alune for her cereal milk to cause that much mess. Alune drank the rest of her milk out the bowl before showing Yuumi it was empty.

“What you got there?” she asked as Aphelios sat down with the box.

“ _I don’t know,”_ Aphelios replied, inspecting the contents. It had his name on it so he guessed he was allowed to open it.

Inside the first fancy black box was yet another, fancier, black box. He lifted it out of the first layer of packaging feeling that the next container had a soft velvet-like texture. It was embossed with extremely fine filigree-like red detailing that, on much closer inspection, appeared to be some sort of Cthullu-esque tentacle abomination wrapping itself around the box. He showed this to Alune, who looked intrigued.

“Its sort of goth, but in an eldritch way?” she commented, sounding as confused as he felt.

He found the seal which was held together by two strong magnets. The velvet-covered box opened like a book, the most concentrated mass of fine tentacles being at the ‘book’s’ spine. Aphelios opened it to reveal a plush red velvet interior, in which there were three packages wrapped up in black tissue paper, with a swirling tentacle design on each of the gold stickers keeping the tissue paper closed. Aphelios, no less bewildered, chose the left most package, assuming he should look at these left to right like reading a book. It was surprisingly heavy, made of glass judging by the weight and feel of it. He carefully unwrapped the paper to reveal that it was indeed a black glass bottle shaped like some form of obelisk. There appeared to be liquid inside, he could just about see it move when he held the bottle up to the light. The equally-black label on one side of the bottle declared it to be “ **Edge of Night** ” in golden lettering. The label on the other side stated:

“ **Edge of Night – the silkiest and smoothest lubricant for the discerning thrill-seeker. Bring yourself, your partner, or partners to the edge of ecstasy with this artisanal crafted water-based** …”

Aphelios put the bottle down as he felt his face heat up. As soon as the bottle was on the table, Alune grabbed it.

“This is lube!” she declared as soon as she read the label, “Really fancy goth lubricant! Did Vladimir send you this?”

That was what Aphelios had assumed. With slight trepidation, he went for the smallest package next. It was far lighter than the previous one. Unwrapping it, he revealed it to be a smaller plastic travel-sized bottle of the previous lubricant. It came with a little booklet and a funnel, showing him how to refill the travel bottle from the large one. It also came with an added pump to screw in the top. Practical, he guessed, but he hadn’t got over the fact that Vladimir had decided to send him expensive lube of all things.

One package remained. Aphelios picked it up, wondering if this could possibly be more lube and how much Vladimir thought he needed. Sett was big and all but this was a lot. Yet, as he removed the last set of tissue, he was presented with another box. This one was hard cardboard, but it too had the same eldritch detailing as its display case. Aphelios turned the box over in his hands and discovered a series of tiny letters down one side, spelling out the words – VOID STAFF.

What was that supposed to mean?

He opened the box to find yet more tissue – red this time, along with a black silk bag. Wondering why there was a wasteful amount of packaging, Aphelios picked up the bag, revealing that there was a black instruction booklet tucked in the back of a box and what looked like a cloth patterned with the same tentacle design. Still feeling weirded out by all this, Aphelios opened up the bag and withdrew the first of the contents from within. It was a long matte-black rod, about eight, maybe nine, inches long with a flared thicker end. On this end was a golden dial where the numbers one to ten painted on them in tiny digitals so small Aphelios could barely read them. There were also three LED lights on the dial. He held it up to Alune who promptly spat out the juice she’d just drank.

“Phel…Brother…” she gasped, “Do…do you know what that is?”

He shook his head, but combined with the large amount of lube he’d just received in the same box, then he was starting to get the impression what it was for.

“That’s one hundred and fifty percent a-a…” Alune seemed to be struggling to get her words out, “Vibrator. That’s a vibrator. Why the ever-loving f…“

She picked up her phone off the table, startling Yuumi as she tapped furiously at the screen before putting her call on speaker.

“Hello?” came a familiar voice from the other end of the line. He sounded half-asleep.

“Hi Vladimir!” Alune replied, her voice high and cheery – a clear sign that Vladimir was in trouble.

“We just got a really interesting package in the mail this morning! Can you guess what it is?!”

There was a definite ‘oh’ from Vladimir’s end.

“Was it the Void Staff I bought for Aphelios?” he replied.

“Yes!” Alune replied, “Yes, the vibrator you just bought for my brother just arrived. And why, pray tell, did you buy my brother a fancy goth vibrator and over a litre of fancy goth lube?”

There was a moment of silence before Aphelios heard definite laughter coming from Alune’s phone.

“Why? Well, I needed to get him a reward for his rather fantastic display of dominance over Domination’s Settrigh,” Vladimir replied, “I suspect he hasn’t told you how he made a man almost twice his size beg for the sweet relief of-“

“I don’t want to know!” Alune suddenly declared, “Thank you Vladimir, have a nice day!”

She hung up on him before he could say anything else. She stared at the bottles of lube on their kitchen table whilst Aphelios fiddled with the charging dock he’d found in the same bag.

“You know what,” she declared, “I’m not going to be shocked anymore. You are a twenty-six-year-old man with your own needs and thank goodness our bedrooms are on opposite sides of the house. Just…just go and put these in your room so I don’t have to think about them anymore.”

Aphelios did as he was told, picking up all trace of the Void Staff and Edge of Night, and hurrying off to his room, blushing all the while.

The same morning, another package got delivered to their door, this time by private courier. Alune was studying with Yuumi, so Aphelios took the package back into his own room to find it full of paperwork and sheet music from True Damage. The sight of it made his stomach turn, but he loyally took it over to the keyboard he had set up under his bedroom window. It was there so he could practice when not at Vladimir’s, no, Swain’s house. It wasn’t the same as a fancy piano, but it worked just as well with its weighted keys. He separated the sheet music from the rest and put it on the stand atop his keyboard. This would be so much easier if he just had to play the keyboard for them. Yet here he was, potentially about to ruin it for everyone.

After a few minutes of staring at the music for a moment, he put it to one side. No. He had to focus on finding his voice before he tried to sing someone else’s song. He pulled out a much more familiar set of sheet music and replaced True Damage’s work with his own. The familiar notes and lyrics were almost a comfort as he began to play. As soon as he heard the music it was easy to slip back into that sensation of low simmering lust, he used to perform it last. He mouthed the words as suddenly he remembered what it had felt like to have Sett’s hands on him, and to touch him in return. The gentle kisses across his face, his chest… There had been nothing else like it.

“…You’ve never met this taste. The sweetness of my surrender, Will forever go to waste.”

Even as shock coursed through him, he didn’t let himself stop. He completed the song and sung it through twice more. Ok! Lust worked. Lust definitely worked. However, he really didn’t want to have to reply on lust to get his voice to cooperate. He spent the rest of the day trying to channel different emotions and then sing. Meditating almost, to get himself into the right frame of mind before playing the melody to Track 14. The problem was as soon as he heard those slow notes his mind instantly went back to Sett and their actions past and perhaps future. That song was utterly drenched in lust and that was all he could sing for now. He scowled in frustration as he looked up the songs he should be singing online. True Damage’s songs were nothing like Track 14 – all about standing proud and being yourself. He had liked this message when he’d listened to them, however it had nothing to do with lust. Was he condemned to sing about sex forever? To sing something like these songs he’d need to channel something like pride, or confidence, both things he felt very rarely and didn’t like to boast about. He was proud of Track 14 and everything it had led them to do. But as soon as he thought about Track 14, he got distracted by other feelings again. For most of his life he’d been taught that he wasn’t allowed to feel pride in his own achievements. The Lunari had always told him he existed to serve another – Alune – and therefore he was just an extension of her influence on the world. No need for self-identity, no need for such selfish feelings as happiness or pride. So now being asked to sing using those emotions? It was surely impossible.

He explained all this to Alune before venting all over again on his first video call with Sett the following day. They had talked for a while about Sett’s trip to France and how he found the Eurotunnel. Their first concert had been a huge success and Domination had treated themselves to a meal out and hotel rooms rather than trudging back to the bus. Sett told him that he’d got his own room due to Swain having work and Pyke and Zed sharing. He suggestively raised an eyebrow whilst doing so, but Aphelios was too worked up over his own inadequacy to follow through on that. Sensing his stress, Sett turned the conversation to how Aphelios was doing. Thankfully, Sett was immensely patient with him as he tried to explain how hard it was for him to feel pride in anything he’d done. That he wasn’t sure how to feel proud or confident in anything he did without feeling selfish.

“It’s not selfish to feel pride in what you’ve done,” Sett told him from the screen of his laptop. Aphelios lay on his bed in front of his laptop as he saw Sett sitting on his own bed in what looked like a hotel.

“Loving who and what you are isn’t always selfish or immodest,” Sett continued, “Are you or I selfish for posting all those photos online?”

Aphelios shook his head.

_“No, that’s our job or, well, we post our photos because people want to see them.”_

“Yeah, and people want to see them because you’ve got a body worth being proud of,” Sett reasoned, “People went mad for your song because you’ve got the voice of an angel. Not the healthiest maybe to base your confidence on what other people think of ya. But aren’t they just proof you got something to be proud of?”

His reasoning was logical but Aphelios couldn’t do it.

 _“How can I be proud of my voice when it doesn’t work properly?”_ he asked, _“How can I be proud of how I look when…when it goes against everything my brain says.”_

Sett regarded him for a moment before stating:

“Then we’ve got to get your brain saying somethin’ else,” he said, “We’ve got to hammer home that you’re so beautiful and talented you turn men’s brains to mush.”

Aphelios blushed but protested

“ _That’s them though, not me,”_ he reasoned, “ _Their brains are saying I’m desirable, it’s not because I am-“_

“Alright,” Sett interrupted him, “Let’s do an experiment to prove your brain wrong.”

Blinking at him, Aphelios asked:

_“What do you mean?”_

“Your brain says it’s not your voice and body having an effect on guys, right?” Sett continued.

Aphelios nodded.

“So, let’s do a test,” Sett said, “You know, like science. You look at me before, head to toe, and see how I’m acting. Then you take off those cute jammies of yours and sing me your song. Then you see how I’m looking and acting after.”

Aphelios’ face burned at the thought of not only performing Track 14 for him, but doing it in the nude. It wasn’t just his face heating up at the thought of Sett seeing him like that, naked, whilst singing such wanton lyrics, a whole lust-driven private show just for him… Even if this didn’t work part of him desperately wanted to give it a go. Hadn’t he thought of Sett when writing and performing the song at first? Surely this was only a natural conclusion to the process?

“ _Ok,”_ he replied, “ _I’ll do it.”_

Sett grinned. He shifted back a little, tilting his laptop screen so Aphelios could see him in his entirety. He was sat cross-legged against the headboard of his bed, wearing a pair of black boxers and a Domination t-shirt that was just a bit too tight for his chest. It was a very attractive sight.

“Ok, look at me now,” Sett said, moving the laptop so Aphelios could see him head to toe, “I promise I’m going to be all honesty with my reactions. Not that I hide much anyway, but you’re looking at my soul here bunny.”

Aphelios nodded. He did indeed take a look. A very long and definite look at just how attractive the other man was, from his messy red hair to the faintest hint of stubble on his chin, to those broad shoulders and down, down to outline in his boxers. Sett obviously didn’t feel selfish in letting him get a look. He definitely felt proud of his appearance and Aphelios couldn’t blame him. He had everything really – he was handsome, talented, unbelievably kind…. Yes, Sett was the sort of man worth being proud to be. He just wished his mind would cooperate and say the same for him.

“Alright, stage two,” said Sett, “Take as much off as you’re comfortable with. Don’t make yourself feel awkward because of –“

He cut himself off, surprised by the sheer haste in which Aphelios disrobed. Part of him wondered if he could try and make it slow and sexy, but he wasn’t entirely sure how to do that so he just took it all off. Sett let out a groan as Aphelios knelt before his laptop, also tilting the screen so Sett could get a better look at him. He crossed his hands momentarily in his lap before realising he needed those to sign.

 _“How’s this_?” he asked.

Sett made a deep rumbling noise that echoed through his headphones and made Aphelios quiver with want. The position wasn’t ideal for singing in but he shifted so he sat, slightly side on to the webcam so Sett could see his full figure in silhouette.

“Fucking hell bunny,” Sett gasped, “So eager to take your clothes off for me?”

Aphelios smiled at him, his expression becoming a little devious as he realised how stunned Sett looked. Ok, he was definitely having that effect on him.

 _“I want to put on a show for you_ ,” he confessed, “ _I did write this song thinking about you after all, well, you and all the things I wanted you to do to me.”_

Sett looked like he couldn’t believe his eyes. He stared at Aphelios for a moment longer before Aphelios saw one of his hands descend towards his own crotch and cup himself there. Aphelios turned back so he was squarely facing the camera. He took a deep breath as he was illuminated pale in the light of his screen. It was kind of like a spotlight. Well, it would be all the spotlight he’d need. Lust he could manage. Singing through lust was easy.

“What am I to you…”

It was the closest thing the world was going to get to a repeat of that performance on Demacia Vice. Yet right here, right now, Aphelios was naked and he didn’t have a microphone to occupy one of his hands. Instead both could roam quite freely, tracing the curves of his body, gently toying with himself as Sett watched on, utterly hypnotised. He held a few notes longer than perhaps he needed to, let a little too long a gap between verse and chorus, but Sett neither seemed to notice nor care. He was transfixed by the movement of Aphelios’ lips, of Aphelios’ fingers as he traced the lines of his own tattoos. It was sad really, that the song was so short. Aphelios smiled as he sang as he spotted Sett gently palming the prominent bulge in his boxer shorts. As he dragged out the last note, a definite growl came through his headphones.

“Again.”

Aphelios’ breath stuttered but he eagerly obeyed, feeling himself harden under the fiercely possessive gaze Sett was now watching him with. He sang the song through again, and then a third time as Sett demanded more. Aphelios’ singing became shaky, his hands becoming a little quicker as he fondled himself in a way that he certainly hadn’t on Demacia Vice. The internet would likely have exploded if he’d actually rubbed at his nipples the way he did now. If he’d moaned and gasped rather than sighed between lyrics.

“Again.”

“Sett!” he whimpered, staring at the camera imploringly as Sett continued to watch him, his gaze dark, his lips parted, giving a hint of sharp teeth as he surveyed Aphelios’ arousal from so far away.

“I said Again, bunny.”

Aphelios tried. He startied to sing for a fourth time but he kept breaking lines as he moaned and gasped, his own ministrations becoming too much as he dared run his fingers up one thigh and then up the length of his cock. His hips juddered forwards uncontrollably, making him cry out as he ground against the duvet. He could hardly bring himself to finish the song, getting stuck on the last verse as he exclaimed

“Sett, please, I need you!”

The sound of his voice, unrestrained and filled with desire had Sett burying his hand in his boxers and pulling out his sizeable erection.

“Tell me what you need bunny. And don’t you dare stop touching yourself.”

“I-I,” Aphelios gasped, one hand between his legs as the other tugged at one nipple, “Sett…I want…I need you… I want you fill me. I want you to touch me. I want you to hold me down and fuck me until I see stars.”

His voice cracked as he suddenly remembered the verse he’d missed.

“What am-am I to you? Now I’m yearning to…to my core. Fill me with your warm em…brace…”

“I can’t wait to fill that gorgeous ass of yours,” Sett growled, “Stuff you full of me until you’re screaming my name at the top of your lungs.”

“Sett!”

Aphelios did his very best to fulfil Sett’s wishes. Crying his name as his knees gave out and he fell to the bed, still touching himself as ordered. He spotted the black package on the floor beside his bed and hastily scooped up the travel bottle of lube. He…he only ever did this in the shower and he’d certainly never done this with anyone in the house before, let alone with someone watching him, but… oh stars he wanted it so badly!

“I want…” he gasped as he crawled up the bed on all fours, spreading his legs so they were either side of the laptop. He could no longer see Sett, but that didn’t matter. He could certainly hear him as he coated his fingers in lube, before parting his cheeks for the camera.

“Oh fuck,” Sett growled, “You going to fill yourself for me bunny? Stretch yourself wide and imagine it’s my cock?”

Somehow having Sett’s filthy language in his ears made the whole situation even more arousing. He pressed one slick finger to his entrance he heard Sett pant and groan his approval. He craned his neck to try and get a glimpse of the screen. Sett was unabashedly jerking himself off now, going as far as to focus his camera on his large cock as he watched Aphelios finger himself.

“Another,” Sett growled. Obediently, Aphelios added a second finger, feeling like he was on a knife’s edge as he stretched his insides open. His hips pushed back against his probing fingers, repeatedly impaling himself on the digits as he began to shake from head to toe.

“Sett! I’m close! It’s so much I’m…”

Aphelios screamed as he came, burying his face in the covers as he continued to thrust his fingers throughout his climax. From the sounds of it, Sett wasn’t too far behind. There was a series of loud grunt and moans as Aphelios lay on the covers, ass still directed at the camera, followed by a cry of

“Phel, you’re so…”

Aphelios turned just in time to see Sett come over his own stomach. Feeling filthy, Aphelios shakily sat up and tried to focus on the webcam, his nerves still tingling from the assault against his insides.

“Sett?” he murmured as his ears were filled with the sound of heavy breathing.

“Phel…you’re…. oh fuck, that was something.”

“I like your experiment,” Aphelios murmured, “Can…can you come up with more?”

Sett chuckled as he panted for more.

“If I get to hear your sweet voice screaming my name, I’ll write you a book of experiments.”

Aphelios looked down at his chest, touching where his heart pounded before gently grasping at his own throat. As if the spell was over, or the magic was lost, he couldn’t bring himself to say another word. Now he knew he was talking aloud, now he understood what he was doing, the ability was gone.

 _“What was this supposed to achieve?”_ he asked, with trembling lube-covered fingers.

“I…I can’t remember,” Sett replied, “One hell of a good time, I can tell that. Holy shit, we got to…we got to do that again sometime.”

 _“Agreed,”_ Aphelios stated, _“Maybe…maybe next time I can show you the toy that came with the lube.”_

Sett’s ears perked up almost immediately.

 _“Another time,”_ Aphelios promised, _“I think I need to…clear up. And you have a show tomorrow, don’t you?”_

Sett grimaced

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the sensible one. Good night bunny. Sweet dreams.”

 _“Sweet dreams,_ ” Aphelios replied, “ _Have fun tomorrow.”_

Sett gave him an exhausted smile, before leaning forward and disconnecting from their call. As the screen went dark, Aphelios slowly felt his breathing return to normal. He’d spoken. In the throes of passion, he’d actually spoken whole sentences, not just ‘Sett’ over and over again. Didn’t this prove that it was possible? That he could one day have a conversation? Too tired to follow that line of logic much further, Aphelios decided he should probably do something about his bedcovers. The path of self-exploration was proving quite a messy one. Though, this wasn’t quite the self-exploration he’d anticipated when it came to finding his voice.


	7. What Practice Makes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With True Damage's concert drawing ever closer, Aphelios finds himself being given a singing lesson by an unlikely source.

He had to do this. He had to do this, but no matter how much he told himself that, it wasn’t happening. Aphelios wanted to beat his head on the keyboard as he played the two True Damage songs he’d been given with ease, yet he couldn’t get his voice to do anything. He had less than six weeks to wrestle his voice into action and whatever he tried didn’t help. The fact that he had managed to sing, in addition to talk, to Sett only compounded his frustration. He knew that his voice was in there, and it could be coaxed out with the right provocation, however this…this wasn’t doing it. Track 14? Easy. He could sing that pretty much at will. After singing it so many times now, the song flowed from his vocal cords without so much as a twinge of panic. Yet his inability had turned him into a one trick pony. Please brain please! The band needed this!

“Mrah!”

Aphelios missed the sounds of the door opening. However, Yuumi must have shoved her way in because he pushed the door closed so Alune wouldn’t be bothered by his repetitive playing. He turned to see her crossing the room, tail held high to announce her arrival. Beckoning for her to join him, Aphelios already knew why he was Yuumi’s lap of choice today. This morning Alune had shown the sheer audacity to trap Yuumi in her new cat carrier and take her to get her jabs at the vets. Needless to say, Yuumi was not currently talking to Alune. She’d probably forgive her by dinner time though. Yuumi jumped onto Aphelios’ lap and sat there, peering up at the keyboard. He played a few notes for her, to see if she was alright with the noise. Seemingly unphased, she continued watching him play the same two songs over and over.

“Mrah!”

After two more renditions of “Wings” and “Giants”, it appeared Yuumi had something she wanted. Aphelios looked down at her, wishing he could ask her what she needed, or make any sort of vocalisation at all. He scratched her behind the ears before going back to his sheet music. Yet, no sooner had he played a single note, then a purple-grey paw was placed atop his hand.

“Maaah!” exclaimed Yuumi.

Aphelios stared at her.

Wait…

He pressed that same note again.

“Maaah!”

The note he’d played was exactly the one she was meowing at. He looked at her, then at the paw still atop his hand.

“Maaah!” Yuumi repeated.

He smiled. Then, exploratively, pressed the next note.

“Maahp!”

Ok, she appeared to like the previous note more, but the first match was still amazing. Yuumi purred loudly as she put her paw down, clearly impressed with herself. Aphelios gave her a cuddle as he marvelled at their strange cat. When she felt pampered enough, Yuumi reached up on her back legs, pressing her front paws against the keyboard.

“Pra!” she ordered.

Aphelios went back to playing “Wings” for her. Whenever he played that one particular note, she meowed. Every single time. She definitely recognised that note being the same as her meow and was replying in turn. He couldn’t help but grin as she got better at predicting when the note was coming. The more he played, the better she got at being on time. Soon she was singing the note whenever it came up in the song. Maybe he should offer Yuumi to True Damage instead of him? He took out his phone, turned on the front facing camera and videoed their little duet. Yuumi seemed to be enjoying herself. However, after the first few perfect renditions, she began to push her head against Aphelios’ arm. He pet her, but that didn’t seem to be what she wanted.

“MAAH!” she exclaimed, headbutting him with increasing ferocity. Yet she was still singing along as he continued to play. He barely needed the sheet music anymore.

“MAAAH!”

What did she want? If she wanted down, she could have got down. If she wanted cuddles, he had already tried that. Aphelios didn’t want to disappoint her after this rather phenomenal display of feline singing but…

“MAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

Oh, for Moon’s sake!

“Maaaaaah,” he murmured back to her, in bewildered frustration.

Aphelios blinked in shock.

Yuumi stared purring loudly again.

“Mrah,” she told him the next time that note came up. It helped that it was the first note of the chorus.

“M-mrah?” Aphelios managed, still reeling from the surprise of his own voice. However, he swiftly realised what he could do now. Every time she joined in with his music with a meow, he meowed too. It clearly pleased her to hear him copying her noise, so he just kept on doing it. He meowed at that note, knowing when each was coming as he played. Their odd harmony lasted three renditions of “Wings” before Aphelios found that he wasn’t meowing anymore. No longer making cat sounds, he was actually making the sound ‘Maa’ every time he hit that note. And come to think of it, that sound… that sound was in the song.

He proceeded to do a version of “Wings” entirely composed of the word ‘Maa’. Yuumi joined in, meowing not just on her note but on any she felt particularly excited for. Partially out of shock, partially out of disbelief that he was singing with his cat, Aphelios managed the whole song in ‘maa’s before proceeding to try again with the sound. However, when he got to the chorus, the part he’d actually be singing for True Damage, his mind suddenly caught on that syllable.

“Maa, maaa… Maaster those wings. Set yourself free. No one can tell us who we ought to be. The sky’s got no limits. Neither do we...”

Aphelios’ heart leapt. He did it! He was singing! Moon and stars, he was singing! He was actually making a noise and… oh shit.

He began to cough, struggling for breath and making Yuumi jump from his lap in alarm. He choked for air as his heart rate quickened and his hands began to shake. Oh nononono…. Yuumi went running from the room as he gasped and spluttered, pushing himself out of his seat as his eyes stung with tears he could not shed. He stumbled away from his keyboard and towards his bed as he heard the tell-tale sounds of Alune approaching, accompanied by the insistent calls of Yuumi. She entered the room and saw Aphelios struggling with his panic.

“Phel! Phel, I’m here!” she called, “It’s ok, you’re safe. I’m safe. There’s nothing dangerous here. Concentrate on my voice and take deep breaths.”

He’d been so close yet so far. What that disastrous episode taught him was that he could sing when he wasn’t thinking about the fact he was singing. When he was distracted by a particularly strong feeling, an extraordinary situation or simply the cat, his voice was freed from fear and anxiety. However, as soon as he realised what he was doing… It was very difficult not to think about singing when singing was exactly the thing he was trying to do. He really did have to rely on his own emotions to force his voice into action. However, he was still struggling to get to grips with pride or joy. He definitely felt those things, but they were so much harder to immerse himself in as much as lust.

“What about a list?” asked Ezreal, “You know, write down everything you’re proud of?”

“Like your lyrics book,” Alune replied through a mouthful of noodles.

A few days after his failed attempt at singing with Yuumi, Aphelios found himself in Ezreal’s apartment with the rest of the band and Alune. Well Ezreal had called it an apartment when he proposed they meet there instead of making the trip out to Vladimir’s. He’d made a point of saying it wasn’t much and they wouldn’t be able to do lots that they usually did. However, it was closer than Vladimir’s, and they weren’t there to perform music, so meeting at Ezreal’s ‘apartment’ made sense. Except it wasn’t really an apartment. They got out at a huge steel gate and got buzzed in by a uniformed security guard. Once inside the marble-floored foyer, Ezreal buzzed them into the lift before reminding them to press the ‘P’ button once inside. As soon as Aphelios relayed this to Alune, she sighed.

“P stands for Penthouse, doesn’t it?”

It did.

Aphelios didn’t know the strict definition of apartment. Yet he was fairly sure that apartments didn’t have roof-top swimming pools placed in their own private conservatories. Neither did they have lounges big enough to comfortably sit about twenty people and a television that rivalled a cinema screen. Every surface, from the marble kitchen counters to the designer brand curtains, was spotlessly clean. Not a stray hair or speck of dust marred any surface, it was so pristine that Aphelios wondered whether Ezreal actually used any of these things. The only vaguely normal thing about this penthouse was the fact that every cupboard, closet or set of shelves was absolutely crammed with stuff. Ezreal seemed to be something of a hoarder. As he offered to put their coats in the cupboard, several wicker-somethings tumbled out of the closet and rolled along the floor. When he went to make tea, he opened two cupboards to reveal more mugs than Aphelios had ever seen in one place at once – including shops. The exterior of his home was pristine, but the interiors were jumbled messes. Aphelios couldn’t help but notice the weird nick-nacks that Ezreal had no doubt brought home from abroad. Wooden masks, coloured glass ornaments, ceramic bowls, and a ton of weird metal trinkets that didn’t seem to have any recognisable use. He had glass cabinets full of stuff that should probably be back in their native countries, or at least in a museum. Alune pointed at a surprisingly familiar piece of silver jewellery. A horizontal crescent moon necklace made out of silver – five crystal beads hung from the moon, each a deep blue colour. Aphelios hastily moved on but Ezreal was quick to notice their attention.

“Oh yeah, I got that from this weird old lady in Wales, not the most exciting thing ever but it’s really old! Come on, I can show you this neat stuff from Egypt!”

They were thankfully saved from a complete tour by the arrival of Vladimir. He had clearly been to Ezreal’s ‘apartment’ before because he didn’t seem nearly as surprised as they did. He arrived with a large leather satchel bag over one shoulder and an equally-expensive looking leather rucksack on his bag.

“Good morning, where’s your projector?” he greeted Ezreal as he left his shoes by the door.

That was how they ended up in the living room, ordering then eating Chinese takeout for lunch as Vladimir set himself up on the absolutely enormous screen.

 _“I could try that_ ,” Aphelios agreed, _“I don’t find…praising my own achievements very easy.”_

“Then I’ll help!” Alune added, “I can remember all sorts of things you’ve done! Let’s do that as soon as we get home!”

“Yes, ,” Vladimir agreed, picking at his food as he frowned at Ezreal’s television, “Except we have this to discuss first. However, I’m sure you’ll find it relevant to this discussion, if not helpful.”

The reason they had all gathered in Ezreal’s apartment, or at least half the reason, was to finally get the low down on Vladimir’s secretive photoshoot. He’d been planning it for months now, Rift Fest having got in the way of their original deadline, however he hadn’t been perturbed by the delay. By the looks of it, the extra time had given him the chance to prepare an entire presentation on the topic. The other reason was to plan their set at True Damage’s charity gig, but according to Vladimir that could wait.

“Alright, listen up,” Vladimir stated, finally ready to get his presentation under way. Alune, who had admitted she was mostly there to see Ezreal’s apartment and eat free takeout, prodded Ezreal on the arm to get him to pay attention.

“I realise that this has happened with somewhat of a delay,” Vladimir began, “However I would like you all to cast your minds back to the release of Episode 1 of Season Twelve of Demacia Vice. Primarily, the reaction we got in the media – both mainstream and social, around Aphelios’ performance.”

“A lot of tweets about his nipples,” Ezreal piped up.

“Not just that,” Vladimir told him sternly, “But we’ll come back to that, yes.”

They were? Aphelios stared at the screen which was currently displaying a Demacia Vice themed background and the title – “Post-Vice Photoshoot Plan”.

“What we should be focussing on,” Vladimir continued, “Is the sort of attention we got from magazines, blogs, online articles etc, and more specifically their wording.”

He clicked his mouse and the screen was filled with screenshots of titles and extracts from various articles, most of which Aphelios recognised from the time.

“Note their phrasing,” Vladimir said, pointing at the large screen, “New Talent Dominates Influencer Band Mates. Third Uninhibited member Tops Co-stars in Unforeseen Act of Brilliance. Uninhibited’s Aphelios Takes Control in Showstopping Televised Performance. This previously silent musician strips his colleagues of their acclaim and shows the world stage who should really be dominating this new boyband.”

“When you put it all together like that,” Alune commented, reading the contents of the screen, “There is certainly a lot about dominating and stripping.”

Yes, now they were all together, Aphelios couldn’t deny the slightly sexual nature of all these headlines and extracts. It sort-of matched the definite sexual nature of his performance on Demacia Vice, but he hadn’t really read them in this light the first time around.

“Indeed,” Vladimir agreed, “And whilst we did a Demacia Vice inspired shoot, I know that Aphelios and I felt it didn’t quite live up to the fun or excitement of shoots we’d done previously. They were good-looking photos but they lacked a certain magic. They certainly weren’t adequate to celebrate such a momentous achievement for Aphelios. And such a significant step in the band’s road to success. We can’t deny that without that one performance, we would not have got as far as we have. We would not have made so much news. We wouldn’t have been invited to Rift Fest. True Damage would certainly have no idea who we are without Aphelios appearing on Vice.”

Aphelios looked at Alune and Ezreal. They were both nodding sagely along with Vladimir as if this was all given fact. He knew it was, but hearing it said out loud was a little embarrassing in how flattering it was.

“Quite frankly, we didn’t give Aphelios’ achievement the respect and celebration he deserved. We didn’t publicly acknowledge all these articles, especially after the media were so keen to pit us against each other. So, I have decided to combine a congratulation and an acknowledgement all in one, in my own particular way.”

“That was all sounding great until you said ‘in my own particular way’,” Ezreal noted. Vladimir raised an eyebrow at him before clicking through to the next slide.

“So, here is the point of this photoshoot,” he declared, “We are going to tell the world that yes, Aphelios truly did show us what he was made of with Track 14. He did show us exceptional talent and we had done him a disservice in not realising his immense skill sooner.”

Aphelios was blushing now as Alune beamed at him. Vladimir clicked his PowerPoint presentation, displaying one bullet point after the other. The first few were “Acknowledge talent. Acknowledge higher level of ballad skill than ours. Show him off.”

“So now we’re putting him on a pedestal,” Vladimir continued, “We are going to use the media’s own language back at them to say that yes, we agree. He completely outshone us on this occasion and did so much for the pair of us as his bandmates. And therefore…”

The next slide appeared with the large caps lock title of **POWERPLAY**

“Vlad…” Ezreal whined.

Alune giggled as Aphelios wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing. He was still feeling rather embarrassed but he had no idea where Vladimir was going with this.

“I’m going to preface this explanation with the fact that I do not intend to create pornography,” Vladimir stated.

“Good!” exclaimed Ezreal.

“However, if we do ever want to,” Vladimir continued, “Maybe we should ask any significant others first, but I would be up for that. Anyway, this shoot isn’t that, but will mostly be falling under the eighteen and over section of our store.”

He clicked onwards.

“I have hired an old favourite photographer of ours.” He glanced at Ezreal as he said this, “To create a series of photos under the theme Powerplay. In every single one, I intend for Aphelios to be in a position of power, displaying the domination so thoroughly lauded by the media. We will be doing this in a number of ways, and of course, if anyone is uncomfortable with any of my propositions, we will not do them.”

He looked at Aphelios and Alune. Aphelios was simply staring now, wondering what on earth Vladimir intended him to do. Alune was still very giggly, however she wasn’t objecting.

“Of course, there are numerous ways in which a power dynamic can be displayed,” Vladimir continued, “So here are my initial concepts for the photographs, headlined under a different means of display. The first one is up to the photographer – different angles, heights, camera positions can of course convey an unequal power dynamic. Staging also contributes, with who is standing or who is in seating. That we’ll decide closer to the time. However, the following are ones that we can work on. Firstly, clothes.”

The screen was now filled with sketches and what looked like screenshots of Vladimir’s pinterest-esque picture board of ideas.

“Simply having Aphelios more clothed than we are, shows a mastering power dynamic. Being simply dressed compared to being provocatively and aesthetically made up, can also show an unbalance – implying that he doesn’t need to be fancy to appeal whilst we do. There is of course the nature of the clothing, strappy items, even jewellery like chokers, can elude to bondage style restraints. Of course, due to the frankly immature nature of our society, putting us in seemingly-effeminate items will also give something of a power dynamic between us.”

“Have you been buying lingerie again?” Ezreal asked him, his tone somewhere between teasing and exasperation.

“I do not need an excuse to buy lingerie,” Vladimir replied, “I have a committed partner who I have regular sexual encounters with, unlike some people.”

Ezreal stuck his tongue out at him. Aphelios and Alune glanced at each other, not sure how to comment on this.

“So, the first layer of the shoot relies on this use of regular clothing,” Vladimir said, “The second layer is when things start getting more risqué. Primarily through use of-“

He changed the slide as he spoke, making Ezreal exclaimed

“Lingerie, I knew it!”

“The second phase is a series of photos in various stages of undress, revealing lingerie underneath,” stated Vladimir, “The lingerie will definitely utilise a strap-based look to elude to a form of sexual domination.”

Alune’s giggles reached maximum volume, prompting everyone to look at her.

“What’s the matter?” Vladimir asked.

“Oh-oh nothing,” Alune laughed, “There’s just something so funny about how serious you’re taking this and, well, I can’t exactly imagine Phel, you know, actually dominating anyone, let alone you two in…well, you know.”

Aphelios didn’t know how to take that, but she probably had a point. He couldn’t imagine himself sleeping with Ezreal and Vladimir, let alone being involved in any sort of sexual powerplay related scenario with them. It was slightly telling that when Vladimir saw those headlines this was the first thing he thought up of – though it wasn’t exactly surprising.

“What do you think about this?” Vladimir asked him. He took another look at the screen, now displaying various lingerie outfits. He couldn’t help but note that a few had crescent moon shaped additions, and one was the same purple as his tattoos.

 _“I think it might be fun,”_ he replied, _“I mean, it’s not too different to being sexy bunnies or suggestively putting paint handprints on each other. It’s playing pretend for our audience. And I think they will enjoy it.”_

He considered the screen again, wondering what would happen if Sett saw him an outfit like one of those. He imagined Sett checking his phone for new Uninhibited photos and discovering him sitting in a pair of tight trousers and a lace bodysuit. If his fluffy bunny pyjamas were enough to get Sett interested in him, how would he react to all those straps and lace?

 _“Do I get to wear lingerie?”_ he asked. Alune stared at him, but didn’t say anything. She had to know he had something of a sex life by now, after seeing that vibrator. She had been the one to declare she didn’t want to know about it, so she couldn’t really object.

Vladimir just smiled.

“This is all about you,” he remined him, “If you want to wear lingerie, you can. We can all do some internet shopping later.”

“Ah man, I haven’t had a good group shopping session in a while,” Ezreal sighed, “But we need to sort out our set for True Damage first.”

It wasn’t the moment for shopping because they had to get through the rest of Vladimir’s presentation first. The third stage was bondage. Aphelios didn’t really know what else he expected it to be, but the idea of his bandmates wearing collars and potentially being tied up all in acknowledgement of his singing talent somehow amused yet honoured him greatly. Vladmir didn’t seem the sort who would allow himself to be restrained for just anyone, even though he did know that was what Vladimir and Swain were into. Whilst Ezreal was very easy going about all this, Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder this meant for Vladimir who liked to be visibly in control of every situation he was in -artificially constructed or not. In a way, he couldn’t help but feel that this was Vladimir’s form of apology. That even the appearance of submitting was his way of saying that they hadn’t given Aphelios enough respect to begin with. That perhaps they had been entirely neglectful of him by not listening to Track 14 before they went out. All the way through the rest of his presentation, Vladimir was very keen to make sure Aphelios was comfortable with what they were talking about. That the odd sort of attention wouldn’t make him too nervous and cause a panic attack. Aphelios was flattered by his care in such a weird topic of conversation. It appeared something had clicked inside his bandmate that hadn’t been there before. This was a crystal-clear sign of respect and… it was a far cry from how Vladimir treated him when they first met.

They agreed on no exposing of genitals in any picture, though apparently, they had to show nipple in reaction to the social media storm preceding that episode of Demacia Vice. Considering they’d all done that already, it wasn’t difficult. Aphelios already anticipated getting rather flustered if he had to put a leash on one of his bandmates, but he was slightly excited about the black plastic throne Vladimir showed him. It was weird modern piece of furniture resembling a high-backed winged armchair, but it swivelled like an office chair. It was certainly unique and would make for a great set piece. Once the presentation was finished however, the topic Aphelios wanted to talk about least came out. They had three weeks before they were due to practice with True Damage, and they needed to agree on a set list, let alone get Aphelios singing.

“I have a request,” Vladimir announced, now having the chance to eat his food, “And I understand how big of a request this is. However, I believe it will be perfect for serving True Damage their just desserts. A perfect revenge if you will.”

“What do you mean?” asked Ezreal, who had just re-warmed their food in his ridiculously large microwave, “Why do you want revenge on them?”

“Because they’re treating us like staff,” Vladimir declared, “I’ve read through all their paperwork a dozen times and though they call it a collaboration, it is far from it. It’s quite frankly disrespectful from start to finish.”

Aphelios stared at him. He too had read all the paperwork. Whilst it was true that True Damage’s requests were very restrictive, he wasn’t sure they warranted revenge.

“When two bands collaborate,” Vladimir explained, tossing his hair out of his face as he sat on the sofa, “They both bring their styles and talents to the equation. If their styles are different, then they mix them both equally. There is nothing equal about our opening for them or performing with them. I understand that the opening act is not supposed to have the greatest limelight, but they aren’t giving us room to be ourselves. They have given us a shortlist of our own songs to pick from. We have to dress in their style. We have to use their staging resources. Nothing aesthetically of Uninhibited will be in this performance besides our physical selves. We are just accessories to them and I hate it.”

“That’s a bit harsh,” Ezreal replied, “I mean, they’re one of the biggest bands in the world right now. It’s an honour we even get to share a stage with them!”

“And they know that,” Vladimir countered, “They want us to simper and be grateful like dogs they’ve thrown treats to. They want to shape the band we created into something we are not. Therefore, we need to show them that Uninhibited may be the younger band, but we are not a force to be underestimated. We’re not the sideshow to their main event, well, at least we won’t remain that way.”

“I’m sure it’s not like that,” Ezreal reasoned, “It’s just they’ve planned out this whole gig with its own aesthetic and they want to make sure we belong there.”

Ezreal didn’t look convinced of Vladimir’s scathing take, but he did love True Damage very much. Aphelios didn’t agree with either of them. He thought they were both hitting decent points but had skewed their arguments in rather extreme directions. It was true that they were the smaller and less successful band. Getting to perform with True Damage was a privilege, if they could pull it off. He thought Ezreal was right in saying that True Damage wanted them to look the part and fit their aesthetic. Yet Vladimir had a point about the restrictions. If True Damage wanted their gig to be opened by Uninhibited, then they should let Uninhibited be themselves. They should pick their own songs from all their discography and be able to personalise their performance. Aesthetic was such a huge part of their band that they were going to look like True Damage add-ons. However, they weren’t going to be allowed to perform with them, if they didn’t. They couldn’t miss out on this chance for exposure so they would just have to assimilate for now into the True Damage brand.

 _“Unfortunately, it is what it is and we signed up for it,”_ he commented, _“And I’ve been trying my very best to meet their expectations.”_

“He’s had five panic attacks trying to sing their damn songs,” Alune piped up, “As Phel’s manager, I am putting my foot down and declaring you do not agree to anything like this again before consulting us. “

“Yes, I agree,” Vladimir, “No matter how drunk or enamoured you are Ez. We need to make these decisions as a group.”

“I know,” Ezreal sighed, “And I’m sorry I really am.”

He directed that at Aphelios.

“But I believe in us! Even if it’s a bit terrible for a while, we can pull through this! You’ve got to pull the splinter before it comes out, right? Maybe things have to get painful before they get better?”

“There’s a distinct difference between a splinter and triggering someone,” Vladimir pointed out.

“If Phel has a complete mental breakdown it’s going to be your fault,” added Alune, her tone grim, “Understand?”

Ezreal winced. Aphelios wanted to make him feel better about this, perhaps say something less harsh. However, nothing Alune had just said was a lie. He was doing this for Ezreal and everyone was being rather harsh.

_“Please, what’s done is done and I’ve committed myself to this. There’s no point throwing blame around and scolding people.”_

“I still think we should enact my plan,” Vladimir stated, “And it might help Aphelios in the long run.”

Ok, now he had his attention.

“Here’s the crux of the matter,” Vladimir said now he had all their attention, “True Damage are doing this under the assumption that they’re going to be bigger and better than us in every single way. And whilst they are more successful and famous right now, due to the fact they’ve been performing longer, there’s something they’ve never had.”

He looked around at them, as if expecting them to guess what.

“Influencer careers?” Ezreal guessed.

“A big home crowd?” Alune tried.

Aphelios gave it a moment of thought. There was really only one place he could think of that True Damage definitely hadn’t performed.

“ _Demacia Vice_ ,” he stated.

“Exactly,” Vladimir proclaimed, “They haven’t been the soundtrack to a cult-classic internationally acclaimed TV show. And that’s my plan for revenge. We end our ‘warm-up’ for them on a rendition of Track 14. We remind that entire arena that Phel was behind a song that broke the internet and busted the music world right open. We give them the seemingly-impossible, the mute musician who taught himself to sing, and see if True Damage can match that. That is, if Aphelios can sing Track 14 for us.”

 _“I can,”_ Aphelios replied immediately.

They stared at him.

 _“Track 14 is easy compared to everything else,”_ he continued, “ _I can sing that wherever whenever, I know it all by heart. I’ve sung it so many times it’s like second-nature to me.”_

“Perfect!” Vladimir exclaimed, clapping his hands in delight, “Let’s see them try and follow that! And, the crowd’s reaction will probably give you that essential confidence boost needed to perform with True Damage later.”

He hoped it would be that easy. Even after Alune dragged him into the living room that evening and accosted him with a box of glittery gel pens, his ability to sing True Damage’s songs was not getting any more achievable. They’d taken a piece of paper each, and whilst Aphelios had to write down all the things he was proud about himself, Alune wrote down everything she was proud of him for. Aphelios tried to dig deep, starting with writing and singing Track 14, heading back to getting an A* in one of his GCSEs, and then even further to when he’d first got his high school scholarship. However, it was Alune’s list that made him want to cry. He couldn’t physically cry, but just reading it made him want to as he read things like “Realised he is allowed to be happy”, “Stood up for himself against rich assholes”, “Made me the proudest sister in the ENTIRE WORLD.” The list continued, as his had, to older accomplishments. What made him want to sob however was the large glittery blue capitals that said **SAVED MY LIFE** and **ALWAYS KIND AND LOVING NO MATTER WHAT**. Instead he just hugged her and shook, his face buried in her shoulder as she gently stroked his hair. Yuumi, slightly confused by this tender moment, simply sat on both of them as Aphelios tried to compose himself. He stuck the pieces of paper to the wall above his keyboard to try and incite a sense of pride in himself. However as soon as he read Alune’s praise of him, he got far too emotional to concentrate on something like singing. 

Whilst he travelled around Europe, Sett continued to call him every few days. His conversations were always a welcome distraction from Aphelios’ increasing levels of panic. Listening to him talking about his days, the various places they’d visited, their performances, was always a reprieve from the stress of Aphelios’ constant practice. They would talk for hours – be it through video calls or sending each other messages. Their discussions usually started with something mundane, like discussions about food or movies, however they quickly devolved into Sett complaining about his band. The touring life was clearly getting to Sett, who was clearly getting increasingly irritable with both the road and his bandmates. He kept cutting himself off, saying he talking too much about stupid things, but Aphelios always had the same reply.

_“Venting is healthy, and I’m here to listen as much as you need. Maybe letting off some steam will make everything feel better?”_

This made Sett grin and then plough on with whatever frustrations he was feeling that day. It turned out that Domination wasn’t quite the happy family they’d portrayed at Rift Fest. Sett complained about the screaming matches he’d heard upstairs in the ladies’ section of the bus. He then told Aphelios all about how Zed and Pyke never let him drive the bus, despite all the time and effort he’d spent getting his coach license and how expensive all the lessons had been.

“You get the bus stuck once in a McDonalds drive through, and they decide you’re incompetent!” he exclaimed, “It’s not like I’m gonna make the same mistake twice!”

The lack of personal space and the complete unfamiliarity of everywhere they went was certainly wearing Sett down. The only privacy he got in the bus was dictated by a length of curtain between his cubby and the next. Not only that, he didn’t even get to use it if someone was making an important phone-call and they had to all clear out of the way so not to cause any noise. (Aphelios couldn’t help but feel he was talking about a certain political advisor there.) They ended up planning things to do when Sett got back. They did of course have a date to go on, but their plans ranged from everything as low key as a trip to a favourite restaurant, to something as overblown as perhaps booking a weekend away together in a cute cottage in the countryside. From the way he described secluded tables for two, or sequestering themselves away somewhere with no phone signal, Sett was longing for some alone time – with Aphelios or without. That likely explained why they got so well, eager, whenever he managed to get a hotel room. It looked like Domination were averaging hotel rooms about once a week, and Sett was going out of his way to get his own. Once by himself, he was free to phone up Aphelios with a suggestive grin on his face and that tell-tale greeting of “Excited to see me bunny?” that always meant they were in for a good night. Yes, there had been that one occasion when Swain had walked in on them because Sett had apparently stolen his phone charger, but even that hadn’t dissuaded them for long. It turned out there was nothing quite like closing your eyes and obeying that husky voice speaking directly into his ears. Aphelios hadn’t quite got the courage yet to show him the toy he’d received but…well, just following lusty orders was plenty for now.

On the subject of orders, everything for Vladimir’s shoot arrived surprisingly quickly, meaning he was whisked away to Vladimir and Swain’s house for a weekend for that particular shoot. He couldn’t bring himself to tell his bandmates that he still hadn’t managed to properly sing a True Damage song yet. He didn’t want to ruin the what was planned to be a fun day in a photography studio. He was indeed right. It was a fun day. He liked dressing up and pretending to be smooth and suave. For once his difficulty in expressing himself turned out to be an advantage. It meant he could appear cool and collected whilst Ezreal got the giggles and Vladimir tried and failed to look imposing even in a collar and white leather cat ears. The photographer had clearly worked with Ezreal and Vladimir before, because she was very good at getting them to sit still and do what they were told. She praised Aphelios’ ability to remain composed even as Ezreal pulled funny faces at him whilst he was trying to cup his chin in an authoritative manner. He did get to wear lingerie of his own, an ornate lace bodysuit an opaque section to neatly cover what needed to be covered, but the rest was covered in large translucent black lace flowers. He got a solo shot of him lounging in his throne and it was that photo which he asked nicely to see before they all went for editing, ready for print. 

He wanted it for a very specific reason and that very specific reason was Sett. Perhaps a picture of his boyfriend in lingerie would cheer him up a particularly frustrating day? Unfortunately, that particular day tied in with an evening meeting with the others to discuss the upcoming gig. They made it better by watching a movie afterwards, but suddenly the stress got so much that Aphelios gave into temptation and just sent the picture without waiting for Sett to message him first.

It took over an hour for Sett to get back to him. But he certainly replied with flourish…

“Is that a dick?!” Ezreal exclaimed as Aphelios hid his phone a moment too late. Ezreal was correct. Sett had just sent him a picture of his erection. A very clear reaction to what Aphelios had just sent him.

“So what?” Vladimir drawled, piercing more popcorn with his overly-long nails, “You’ve seen a dick before.”

He continued to eat off his own fingertips as the opening titles continued to roll.

“You don’t understand!” Ezreal spluttered, “Someone just sent Phel a dick-pic! You aren’t in the slightest bit curious who?”

“A man is entitled to privacy of his own correspondence,” Vladimir replied, “Unless Aphelios wants to share?”

Aphelios did not.

“Besides,” Vladimir continued, not even glancing towards the pair of them “We all know it’s going to be Sett’s. I do hope you’ll send him something in reply - maybe use that gift I bought you.”

Aphelios felt his face warm up as he tried to concentrate on the film. He certainly wasn’t going to share that he had started this photo exchange, so he just kept his phone screen thoroughly obscured from their view.

“Gift?” Ezreal repeated, “Why didn’t I get a gift?!”

“Because you’re not a blushing virgin who’s going to need some practice before he takes a Vastayan,” Vladimir stated completely matter-of-factly

Ezreal let out a squeaky gasp much like a balloon deflating

“You bought Phel a dildo?!” he exclaimed, “You-you gave… He’s the last bastion of innocence in this band!”

“And he’s getting more than you,” Vladimir smirked, “But no, I didn’t buy him a dildo. Phel, what did I so generously provide after our dear Domination started swanning off around Europe, abandoning us cold and untouched in their absence?”

Now they were both staring at him. Aphelios just wanted to watch a film… Aah, he had totally sent that picture at the wrong time! No, wait, he hadn’t asked Sett to photograph his cock…maybe this was his fault? Why were they both staring?

 _“We just did a photoshoot where I tied you both up,”_ he reminded them, _“And you walked in on me at Rift Fest! Why do you think I’m a blushing virgin?”_

“Because you pretty much are,” Ezreal reasoned, “When we’re not playing pretend. So, what did he buy you?”

Aphelios sighed.

_“A vibrator,”_

“A vibrator!” Ezreal exclaimed.

“With an app,” Vladimir added.

Wait what? He hadn’t read the instruction manual yet.

“An app?!” Ezreal cried, “You gave our Aphelios a sex toy hoping that-that drummer would absolutely-“

 _“The movie?”_ Aphelios tried but it appeared his bandmates had forgotten about it completely. However, their bickering about his supposed-innocence did give him plenty of time to slip away. As soon as it looked like they had provoked a pillow-fight, Aphelios got to his feet and hurried back to his guest room. He managed to get onto his bed before pressing the call button, and was hardly surprised when Sett picked up immediately with a growl of:

“You better still have those clothes when I get back bunny.”

 _“Good evening,”_ Aphelios signed back with a smirk, “ _Did you_ _see something you liked?”_

“Liked?” Sett repeated, “Liked? I’m stuck in the back of the bus with a raging hard-on because you dressed yourself up like one of my wet dreams. You…you fucking tease! I hope you’re proud of yourself!”

Oh, he was. Sett’s sheer unrestrained lust for a single picture of him made him feel more accomplished that he’d done in weeks. He did a victorious little wiggle on his bed as he signed back

_“You know, there’s a whole photoshoot where that came from.”_

Sett made a noise in the back of his throat somewhere between a groan and a whine.

“Phel, you’re going to kill me… I can’t even touch myself back here, Zed’ll absolutely have my spine if he hears me jerking one off. Oh god damn it, I just can’t….I want to fuck that smirk right off your face, you ridiculously hot piece of…AGH!”

It appeared he’d rendered Sett speechless as he let out a stream of indecipherable noises. Sett appeared to be checking out the photo on his laptop whilst calling Aphelios with his phone. Aphelios thought about offering to put on a show to help Sett with his not-so-little problem, but he didn’t want to antagonise the rest of Domination. So, he merely listened as Sett made a series of confused and aroused noises before he mumbled something about a cold shower and how Aphelios would regret this. Aphelios had expected that kind of reaction, but somehow getting it made him feel all the prouder. The feeling stuck as the following morning he received a text from Sett that if Aphelios wasn’t wearing that lace suit the moment they reunited than he was in for a serious spanking. Sett had never threatened to spank him before but somehow… somehow the threat pleased him as much as the praise. He’d clearly had a profound effect on Sett’s imagination and he couldn’t be happier. Admittedly, he’d felt a little bad about putting Sett in such a precarious position around his bandmates. He sent an apology, saying he’d been trying to make Sett’s day better but he hadn’t thought about Sett’s bandmates being around. Yet, no sooner had the message been marked as ‘read’, Sett was telling him not to be sorry. He’d followed that up by saying to never apologise for being gorgeous. It wasn’t Aphelios’ fault that Sett didn’t have an adequate way to ‘appreciate’ that overwhelming hotness.

Overwhelming was a good word. As much as he enjoyed what Sett did to him when he ordered him around, he loved being overwhelming as much as he liked being overwhelmed. That put him in a very good mood on his way home. The feeling of pride even lasted through the trip back into his room and to his usual seat at the keyboard. He sat there, smiling to himself, as he put his phone away into the pocket of his hoodie. He looked up at the display of glittery gel-pen words above him, his happy mood driving back the need to cry at Alune’s praise and instead bring those thoughts into his jubilant mood. Whilst he’d yet to know whether he was a good boyfriend or not, there was no denying that he had done his very best to be a good brother. Making Alune happy, keeping her safe, had always been his priority, for as long as he could remember. And judging by this… she thought he’d done a good job. All the things he’d wished he could do… feeling happy without feeling guilty, giving her the best life possible, making new friends, helping her achieve her dreams… She had written that he’d done that. She’d gone as far as calling him the best brother she could ever ask for, even after all she had to go through to work around him. Aphelios had always imagined that she’d prefer a brother with a working voice. That’s she’d be happier if she didn’t have to come look after him every time he had a panic attack. A better strong brother with less trauma had to be preferable to what she had but… according to this, she loved him the way he was. Of course, he kind of already knew that but…the proof was now there. Tangible written proof that he couldn’t deny even in his darkest moments. And wasn’t that what all these pictures and messages were? Proof?

Every time he tried to feel happy with what he’d achieved, his anxiety would creep up on him and make him doubt every single factor of his success. For a few months, he’d felt overwhelmingly proud of creating Track 14. He had felt like he deserved to be part of Uninhibited. That he was just as attractive and talented as he needed to be. And yet, as soon as he had to push himself out of his new comfort zone, he doubted everything again. Back when Track 14 came out and he saw all those comments, he had accepted that he was someone worth desiring. But when everything changed, and True Damage forced him into singing, he forgot his own resolve and instantly assumed he was a travesty again. The same with his ability to perform. He had come off the stage at Rift Fest, his podium on Demacia Vice, absolutely buzzing from his own ability to put on a show. Yet now he didn’t think he could. Now, because he was being forced into something new, he felt incapable.

But he wasn’t incapable.

He wasn’t!

Aphelios stared up at his sister’s words, a look of grim determination in his eyes. Why did he keep doing this to himself? Why did he raise his self-esteem, only to let it then instantly crumble? Why did he doubt and hate himself when there was proof all around him that his negativity was wrong? Yes, he’d always have doubts. His anxiety was as much a part of him as his talent, but how could he forget? How did he manage to forget everything and everyone who had believed in him so far? Alune had always been there beside him. Always positive no matter now desperate their situation was. She had always held him, told him he had worth, hugged him through the pain and celebrated with him through the joy. She believed in him from day one of this band adventure. She helped him push at his boundaries. Made him believe that he was not only worthy of joy, but also of respect, of recognition. She made him feel like a person and not a tool for other’s happiness. And despite knowing his flaws, despite seeing the ugliest parts of his life first hand, she still loved him. She had come out of her own shell every time she stood between him and his bandmates. She stuck up for him when he wasn’t able to stand up for himself. She loved him so much that she thought he was worth fighting over, someone worth protecting… What was he doing hating himself when she had given him so much love?

And the band… Yes, their relationships had been incredibly rocky at the start. They had definitely been using him somewhat at the start, not giving him perhaps as much respect as he deserved. However, they had learnt. They had changed. Ezreal and Vladimir had realised that they needed Aphelios and now…now look at what had happened! Vladimir had just come out and admittedly that they wouldn’t be nearly as famous as they were without Track 14! The song that Aphelios had composed, written and performed by himself. Vladimir had told everyone that he, Aphelios, was vital and they’d all agreed! And he’d got the biggest share of the photos in their latest shoot, a shoot designed to highlight how he should be respected! God damn it, did he keep doing this to himself! Why was it so hard to believe in his own self-worth when he was surrounded by people and things trying to do just that! Why was he so stupid? Why couldn’t he believe he was worth anything?

Well he knew exactly why. Where the source of his trauma lay and how he’d been taught not to value himself as a living breathing human being but… no! Fuck them! They were dead and gone and they couldn’t hurt him anymore! He was a person! He was a talented person and they could burn in the hell they didn’t believe in! Alune believed he was a person worth loving. Ezreal and Vladimir believed he was a person worth respecting. Sett…Sett believed he was a person worth desiring. A person worth talking to despite knowing him for so little time. A person he could pour his heart out too when life got too much. A person he would listen to in turn. That he was a person worth getting to know! He had people who believed in him so why couldn’t he just believe in himself?

He took deep breaths as he stared at his keyboard.

I’m a person, he told himself.

I’m a person worth knowing.

I’m a person worth believing in.

I made a song that changed lives. I made the song that shocked the music world. I have talent. I have the ability to do anything I set my mind to. I just… I just…

His fingers hit familiar notes. However, it wasn’t Track 14. It wasn’t anything by True Damage. It was a song he had played on the keyboard countless times before, but for Vladimir to sing

**“What is the soul but a pane of shattered glass?**

**A million and one reflections of a life go twinkling past.**

**So hold me in this second, I’m fleeting, hold me fast.**

**I’m just fleeting, oh so fleeting, because no moment ever lasts.”**

Aphelios’ breath hitched in his throat but he couldn’t let himself stop now. He finished “Just a Moment” and launched straight into “Too Sweet”, the track before it on their second album. He’d never sung these songs before. Sure, he’d mouthed along to Vladimir’s renditions, knowing all the words by heart because they’d practiced so much. He knew the music by heart too, having played it so often on guitar and keyboard. Practice truly did make perfect because he could just do it, he could just play and sing all these songs he’d never done in their entirety before. He was capable! He was just as capable as Vladimir at singing these songs! He bounced a little in his chair as he went through the entirety of their second album, occasionally having to pause to remember words, but nevertheless ploughing on. By the time he’d got through half a dozen songs, he’d attracted the attention of Alune and Yuumi. They silently entered the room behind him but didn’t interrupt his flow of music. He smiled at them to let them know he knew they were there, but even that didn’t dissuade his sudden flood of inspiration. In fact, when Alune clapped after every song, he felt a surge of energy that propelled him into the next track. He skipped over Track 14 because he knew he could sing that whenever he wanted, and instead grabbed the wad of sheet music he’d been given by True Damage in the post. This performance was a bit odder. He couldn’t really sing the rap parts so he just hummed where the rapping should be. However, hurled along by his own momentum, he launched himself into the chorus with ease:

**“We're wide awake now, our eyes are wide open.  
We're running this world, we keeping it turning  
We're living like giants, yeah, giants  
We're bigger than giants, we're giants.”**

Alune waited until the end of the song to let out a little scream and clap harder than ever.

“Phel, you did it! Oh my stars you did it! I’m-I’m so proud of you!”

“Alune, I…”

Her eyes widened at the sound of his speech.

“Phel! You’re…you’re…”

Aphelios coughed a little, his voice sore from so much use.

“Alune, I think…I think I can do it.”

“PHEL YOU’RE TALKING!” She charged at him, startling Yuumi as she steered straight towards Aphelios at his keyboard. She tilted her chair so she could pull him in a big hug.

“It’s been so many years since you said my name!” she cried, “Oh it’s so so good to hear your voice Brother! I knew it was in there! I knew it! I never stopped believing!”

Now she was bringing so much attention to it, it was getting much harder to speak. She seemed to realise her mistake as she said:

“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. Let’s just focus on being able to sing when you need it, ok?”

She gave him another hug as Yuumi jumped up onto Aphelios’ keyboard and sat there, narrowly missing the volume controls. They spent the rest of the morning, all three of them, in Aphelios’ room. Occasionally Alune would go to fetch drinks, but their time was mostly spent working through the two songs True Damage had set him to sing. They went through line by line, working out what the singer should be feeling exactly in that moment, going as far as to linking Aphelios’ experiences to that feeling, so he could better get into the music. By lunch time, Aphelios was feeling a little sore in the throat, but otherwise elated. Once he’d eaten, he worried that the moment had passed and he wouldn’t be able to do it again. However, all it took was ten minutes of quiet contemplation and long hard stare at the pages stuck to his wall. Then and there he decided he had to bring those glittery words with him, not only to the rehearsal, but to the concert itself. He needed to be reminded of what he had done so he could go out and actually do it again. That evening, they had another music session. Alune and Yuumi joined in this time to the best of their abilities. Yuumi found that one note she liked meowing to and Alune gave the song her best shot. She was actually a pretty good singer, even if she insisted she wasn’t compared to him. However, as Aphelios often reminded his bandmates, making music wasn’t supposed to be a competition. She was good and he wanted her to know that.

“You’re very sweet,” she said, “But we know who the singer in this family is.”

She then proceeded to rap extremely badly which just made them both lose it with laughter. Alune made him swear to never mention that in front of True Damage and refused to make dinner until he had. Aphelios, of course, promised. Though she knew already that he’d never embarrass her like that.

Meeting True Damage was going to enough of an ordeal without any additional embarrassment. A week before they were scheduled to meet, they got a phone call from Ezreal saying that True Damage had changed the time of their rehearsal to earlier in the morning and they intended to do it in several stages. This meant that the singing rehearsals and instrumental rehearsals were going to be at different times in different studios. Yet Ezreal was very keen to stress that Aphelios shouldn’t be worried. He just had to turn up at 9am at the recording studio True Damage had hired and everything would be easy from there. Also, he recommended taking a taxi because the Underground stations in those parts were not people-friendly let alone wheelchair accessible.

Ever obedient, Aphelios did indeed take a taxi into London with Alune on the morning of the dreaded rehearsal. His instructions from True Damage had told him to come dressed comfortably. However, Alune was very keen to look like the manager she technically was. So, whilst Aphelios was in jeans, a t-shirt and a long cardigan, she had donned a suit and tie. He also noted that she was wearing her fun solar-system patterned heels that she’d bought on eBay. They stuck out a bit compared to the simple yet elegant suit, however he liked the personal flair, even if the heels looked like they could break ankles. Considering Alune wasn’t able to use her feet anyway, she wouldn’t have that problem. The driver let them out right in front of the studio and they were quickly met by a pair of uniformed security guards. Their bags were searched before they were taken before a metal detector. Needless to say, Alune set it off but the guards just waved them onwards towards a glittery reception desk. There they were each handed a badge on a lanyard. Each had their names on, followed by “Uninhibited - Performer” or “Uninhibited – Manager” then a large red letter C. The barcodes at the bottom of each lanyard allowed them into the equally glitzy lift. Filled with framed posters, the elevator was a tiny gallery to the most famous acts who had ever performed here. There were some really famous faces on here. The sort of people you’d see on newspapers even if they’d never listened to their music.

“I feel like we missed out on both music and TV,” Alune commented as they departed the lift. Aphelios nodded. That kind of went without saying. His main source of exposure to pop music as a teenager was when his classmates blasted songs out of their phones. He’d been in multiple choirs over the years but they’d never really sung anything modern.

“Ah ha!” Alune exclaimed, “Studio C!”

The large glittery red C gave that away. Aphelios took the lead, opening the door for her before following his sister inside. Studio C was enormous. Far bigger than the music room in Vladimir’s house. It looked like it might double as a dance studio, judging by the mirrors and rails that took up the entirety of one wall. The space however was filled with various musical instruments, including a full DJ deck that looked like it had been placed there for Yasuo from True Damage’s use. He didn’t think True Damage used a piano, but there was a white piano in one corner beside a cluster of music stands and amps. Three microphones on stands occupied the very centre of the room, placed so that the singers could look directly at themselves in the mirror wall. Standing by one of these, plugging in wires, was a figure Aphelios had only ever seen once before in person. Even then he’d been pretty drunk on free vodka. However, he’d seen enough of Ezreal’s True Damage merch – vinyl records, mugs, posters, t-shirts, Funko Pops… he knew who this was. This woman was Senna, one of True Damage’s singers and the one who’d requested him over Vladimir. She had followed her own instruction to dress comfy. She was wearing a baggy jumper and a pair of sweatpants with only a pair of flipflops on her feet. Alune really did look over-dressed as they approached, wondering how you were supposed to introduce yourself to an international superstar.

“Oh, good morning,” Senna said, once she noticed them, “Great timing. Just done setting up.”

She tucked a cable out the way before striding over to meet them, hand outstretched.

“Nice to meet you both, I’m Senna. The one organising all this.”

Aphelios nodded politely as he shook her hand, leaving Alune to fill the silence.

“The pleasure is all ours,” Alune replied cheerily, reaching up to take her hand, “This of course is Aphelios, and I’m Alune, his manager for all things solo, and his speaking voice when he needs it.”

“Ah, that was your email,” Senna said, “Thank you for that. Turns out your bandmate didn’t quite give us the whole story, did he?”

She addressed that question to Aphelios.

Alune sighed as he looked between them in mild confusion. What email? When had Alune emailed Senna? How had she even emailed Senna? What hadn’t Ezreal told True Damage? What was going on?

_“Alune, what is she talking about?”_

“I wanted to know what Ezreal had told them about your singing ability,” Alune replied out loud, to keep Senna in the loop no doubt, “And I wanted the entirety of True Damage to understand what an undertaking this was for you. Even mega successful superstars need a sense of empathy.”

Senna smiled, folding her arms as she looked between the siblings.

“You’ve got yourself one hell of a good manager,” she told Aphelios, “Most of the suits in the music industry instantly start trying to suck up to us. Pretty sickening some of them. Not your sis though. She didn’t give up until she got through to us and told us exactly what she wanted us to hear. And believe me, it was a good thing she did. Because it turns out your Ezreal sugar-coated pretty much everything.”

Aphelios was always grateful to have Alune as a sister, but he was especially so now.

 _“What did he say?”_ he asked.

“He’s asking what Ezreal told you guys,” Alune translated for Senna. He was grateful that Senna then directed her answer to him. Lots of people would’ve just talked back to Alune as if he couldn’t understand anything without her.

“He said you had a serious case of anxiety that stopped you saying much,” Senna replied, “But with enough positive reinforcement, they could get you to sing. Nothing about PTSD, or panic attacks, or needing to get into the right headspace. Nothing about the fact you don’t actually speak. He was seriously going to let us meet you without mentioning needing any assistance.”

Aphelios rolled his eyes and sighed. Whilst he wanted to curse Ezreal’s flippant approach to his singing, he wasn’t actually surprised. Ezreal would probably do anything to work with True Damage. It was hardly shocking that he’d forgotten such an important detail.

“Yeah, I can feel that,” Senna agreed, “So I’m really glad your sister stepped in. Otherwise I would’ve been a complete asshole in bossing you around.”

“I’m going to tear Ezreal a new one if he tries this again,” Alune added, seemingly forgetting that she was a professional manager. “Haven’t got on his back yet because I was focusing on making sure you didn’t break down in your practices. But believe me, we’ve got a serious meeting on our hands. “

She looked up at Senna.

“We’re not going to bog down your rehearsal with band politics, I promise. I just wanted this to go as smoothly as possible for every party involved. And that sometimes involves sending some long and persistent emails.”

Senna waved a hand as if her worries were nothing.

“No, you’re absolutely right. We want everyone performing at their best, and that means creating a stage where everyone is able to be their best. I’m not trying to diss your bandmate, or friend, but he definitely wasn’t the one we should’ve approached to finalise all this. He was just there when we were thinking about it.”

 _“Ezreal doesn’t usually make our decisions,_ ” Aphelios commented, which Alune faithfully repeated.

“Yeah, I got that sense,” Senna commented, “He’s kind of…how do I put it. He’s a nice enough guy, really fun to hang out with, got some amazing stories too but… He’s just got that ‘only child of rich parents’ vibe. Do you know what I mean? The kind of guy who’s been bought out of every bad spot he’s ever faced.”

Aphelios nodded immediately.

“Absolutely,” Alune agreed, “You should see his house. Not that Vladimir is much better, but Ezreal…well, he kind of sees the world through rose-tinted goggles. Money pretty much solves all his problems so when he faces something that can’t be conquered by throwing cash at it…like the mental wellbeing of his co-stars, he absolutely struggles. He’s never had to use that level of empathy before so, well, he forgets to try.”

Aphelios was now staring at her. She had never said any of this about his bandmate before! How long had she been thinking like this? Why had she never shared these thoughts with him?

 _“He’s nice most of time. He’s our friend,”_ he added and Alune repeated again before replying:

“Oh, he is, he’s definitely nice, and a good friend of ours. However, he’s got his flaws like the rest of us. And unfortunately, those flaws could have resulted in a really uncomfortable situation for all of us. We’ve been presented with this amazing opportunity, because of his flaws. Yet his inability to stop and think, and his frankly blinding crush on Ekko, meant that you could been subjected to further suffering.”

“Well thank goodness that crisis got averted,” Senna commented, “And I think what I’ve got planned is going to answer a few more questions you have. You mentioned in your email that things got a bit sour in Uninhibited because of all this?”

Alune nodded.

“Yes, between Vladimir and Ezreal specifically. As I said, there’s no need for you to get dragged into our squabbles. I just wanted to give you a bit of forewarning in case they start fighting backstage.”

“It’s cool,” Senna assured her, “Well not cool that you’ve both been stressed out. I can’t make those two stop bickering like children, but I can answer everything you put in your email. I prefer to answer this sort of thing in person. I’m one to speak my mind, very plainly, that comes off kind of rude in text. My band’s used to it, but others aren’t.”

She strode over to a small table placed against one wall. There was a large rucksack there as well as a black and gold True Damage branded Thermos flask. Behind those, Aphelios couldn’t help but notice the three full jugs of water and the stack of paper cups. Probably for their singing later.

“Alright,” Senna announced, pulling her phone out of her bag and seemingly looking something up on it, “Here’s my pitch as to why you’re here and not your bandmates. Stop me at any point if you have questions. But I want you to listen Aphelios, as one music pro to another.”

She scrolled down her phone screen as she returned to them. Out of the corner of his eye, Aphelios saw Alune fiddling with her own phone before she slipped it into a pocket of her suit jacket.

“The core of it’s this,” Senna stated, “Your performance on Demacia Vice – amazing. Your solo track on your second album – amazing. And that’s the kind of sound we want. True Damage was founded on the principle of taking real voices, real stories, real inspiration and setting them free. Sharing them with the masses. Most of us, we didn’t come from great places before we started this music business. We were the underdogs, the minorities, the kind of people rich white music execs don’t give shit about. However, we got our break and we did it singing about what’s we believe in, not what will sell best. It’s because we’re open, because we’re genuine, because we use our talent to stay true to our own beliefs – that’s why people love us. And that’s why people love Track 14.”

She pointed at Aphelios, who jumped a little.

“Your singing voice is raw. It’s true. Just packed with real pure emotions and expertly coupled with that natural talent of yours… Not only that, you have a story worth learning, a voice worth knowing and sharing with the world. It’s everything we believe in. Every word you wrote, every feeling you portray is just so genuine, your soul is in that song, and that’s not something you find in most shitty manufactured pop. I’ll be straight with you. Without Track 14, I wouldn’t have given a second glance at Uninhibited. Some of us might because they like hot guys in skimpy clothing, but I’m a married woman, I don’t care. If True Damage is going to work with you guys, then I wanted to work with a singer with real talent, real heart, and real potential to be so much more than he is right now. I can tell you’re not going to, but you could go solo right now. You could leave those boring rich kids in the dust and become the nation’s darling. But you’ll stick with your friends and I respect that. Yet when it comes to my gig, I’m not working with someone who sees music as another way to peddle his ego. This is only going to work if my true feeling can harmonise with someone else’s – and that’s why it was only ever going to be you.”

Aphelios was stunned. Yes, he was used to receiving compliments about Track 14 by now but this… this was another level entirely. Most of his ‘feedback’ came in the form of keyboard smashes and gushing comments on Instagram or Twitter. It usually featured the word OMG, and then some incoherent muddle about hotness and nipples. The reviews he’d got in music magazines had been a bit more sensible, but they mostly focussed on the shock of him actually having talent in the first place, before they tried to pit him against his own band members. Hearing all this? From another singer, and an incredibly successful one at that? This was something else. This was mind-blowing. This was… Moon and stars, this was just… so much.

He wasn’t sure he liked her derision of Uninhibited as a whole. Yes, their music was very pop-y, and their main appeal was definitely being flirty and sexy. Perhaps they did cater a lot to being liked on social media, but he wouldn’t exactly call them manufactured or… or just a bunch of guys in skimpy clothing. They put serious work and effort into their songs! They’d written that entire second album by themselves and practiced their hearts out! Yet, somehow, he understood what she meant about genuine emotion and rawness. His singing, his entire voice, only happened when he was deeply entrenched in his own feelings. He practically had to drown himself to get his voice out. Every rendition he did was very honest, that was why he was so embarrassed about his Demacia Vice performance these days. That had been one hundred percent genuine desire he’d been performing with and people had really felt it… On the other hand, the lyrics to Uninhibited songs were designed to get the best reaction out of the audience. They weren’t their feelings; they were just a general call to flirt and party. They were meant to attract fans to the band like moths to a flame and then keep them there. They certainly didn’t have that level of truth about them that Track 14 did.

“Thank you,” Alune relayed as he struggled to get his thoughts in order and find a way to reply to that.

“Thank you. I’m glad you believe in the honesty of my singing. You’re right, the way I sing is to focus on my emotions, my thoughts, my beliefs, and then use my voice as a release for all that’s l bottled up inside. I admit, I am not the best at expressing myself, so when I get the chance to, it all sort of comes tumbling out. I was going through a lot when I wrote Track 14, and those emotions are there, in the song. Even in my Demacia Vice performance, the feelings were there, even if they were slightly different ones to the initial recording.”

“What I wouldn’t have given to be on that set,” Senna sighed, “I can’t believe Lucian had that day off of all days! He could have totally smuggled me in! They’re not going to tell him off!”

“Lucian?” Alune repeated, “The guy who plays one of the lead detectives in Demacia Vice?”

Senna laughed.

“Yeah, Lucian’s my other half. I was so mad when I realised we could’ve seen that show in person! Or at least he could’ve even if I was busy, but no, he just had to be away that day. It would have been magic.”

“ _I could sing it for you now?”_ Aphelios offered.

When Alune repeated this, it was apparently his turn to take Senna by surprise.

“You’d do that here?” she asked, sounding amazed, “Without your band or your music?”

 _“There’s a piano,”_ Aphelios pointed out, _“And I know everything off by heart. I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t want to. However, it would make a good warm-up.”_

“No, no, of course I want to,” Senna replied, “You mind if I ring Lucian and see if he’s free to listen? He was as bummed out as I was.”

Aphelios nodded and wandered over to the piano as she dialled up Lucian. Alune came and joined him, silently asking if he was ok with this. He replied that he was, it was just Track 14 after all. She was mid-question about whether he was ok with a big-name actor being around too, when they heard Senna put him on speaker.

**“Hey sweetheart, what’s up?”**

“Don’t call me that,” Senna replied with a sigh. 

**“What’s wrong with sweetheart**?” Lucian replied slyly, loud enough for the entire studio to hear, **“How about babe? Sweetie? Sen-sen? Honey? Apple of my…”**

“Lucian!” Senna interrupted, “I’m not the only one here!”

 **“Oh your band’s used to it by now,”** Lucian laughed, “ **How about sweetcheeks? Love of my-“**

“Lucian, you stop right now or your ass is going to regret it!” Senna proclaimed. There was a note of being flustered in her voice but she was keeping herself remarkably composed. This had evidently happened before. It was however, pretty funny.

**“But…”**

“No buts, you’re making me look stupid in front of the new talent. And he offered to give you a treat as well!”

 **“What?”** Lucian’s teasing tone turned to one of surprise and curiosity, **“What are you talking about?”**

“Well you’re clearly not working right now,” Senna explained, “So give this a listen. I’ve got Aphelios from Uninhibited in the studio with me. You know, that raw as hell singer that turned up on your show without you being there?”

 **“Seriously?”** Lucian replied, “ **You trying to recruit him or something?”**

“I wish,” Senna retorted, “But his bandmates would probably sue. No, he’s kindly volunteered to give us our own little performance of Track 14, because we missed out before.”

**“Oh hell yes. Put me on camera your end, I got to see this!”**

Senna walked across the room and picked up a music stand, propping up her phone so the front camera could get a good look at Aphelios at the piano. He and Alune waved as Lucian, who was on video call now, leaned into his phone screen.

“Hey!” he called, “Nice to meet you Aphelios! Sorry I wasn’t on set back then. They had me doing interviews all day and I totally missed out!”

 _“It’s nice to meet you too,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _No need to apologise, you must be very busy.”_

“Oh, Aphelios’ doesn’t talk much. His manager’s here to help him out.” Senna added in after Alune repeated everything he’d said, “Got to save that voice for singing, right?”

Aphelios nodded.

 **“Well, this is a treat then,”** Lucian commented, “ **Thanks very much for singing for us.”**

“You’re welcome. Thank you for taking the time to listen.” Alune replied for him.

Aphelios traced the keys of this unfamiliar piano. It reminded him of the fancy piano in Vladimir’s music studio, just slightly smaller.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Senna said, “Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Aphelios smiled at her and then turned back to the keys. By now, he could probably sing Track 14 in his sleep.

What followed was a few minutes of pure silence as he played the song that had brought him here in the first place. Of course, with both his hands on the piano, he couldn’t give quite the show he’d given on Vice. However, he didn’t need to. He was here to sing and sing he did. It took only a matter of moments to get into the right frame of mind, recalling Sett’s reaction to his latest photo, and all the questions he’d had about his own performances over the years. It all boiled down into a few very simple minutes of his voice and the piano. Far slower, much more like a ballad, than anything Uninhibited or True Damage sang. However different it was, he finished to an enthusiastic round of applause.

“This!” Senna exclaimed, “This is what I was talking about!”

Aphelios gave a little joking bow as Alune laughed and clapped.

 **“And you’ve got him to sing with you guys?”** asked Lucian, **“You’re collab-ing or something?”**

“Yes, we’ve got Uninhibited opening for us in a fortnight,” Senna explained, “God, I can’t wait to hear you try some of our songs.”

She scooped up her phone.

“Ok, playtime’s over. Go and do some work or something. See you later!”

 **“If you say so** ,” Lucian replied with a mock-whine, “ **Absolutely brilliant Aphelios. Thank you, and yeah, see you later Sen-sen.”**

Senna didn’t dignify that nickname with a response and simply hung up. She took her phone back to the table with her stuff on it and pulled out a miniature laptop and a set of speakers. Connecting everything up, she strode back to the centre of the room towards the trio of microphones. Aphelios wondered who was supposed to be using mic three when there were only two of them present. However, he got to his feet and joined her regardless.

“Alright, you ready to try some new tunes?” Senna asked, pointing her phone at her laptop like a television remote. Aphelios nodded, taking deep breaths and remembering everything he’d told himself on the taxi ride here. He had indeed taken the sparkly gel pen papers with him, much to Alune’s amusement, but their hour and a half trip had been spent considering everything that had got him singing in every successful practice session. He whizzed through everything that he had to remember, everything he knew he should be proud of as he took the mic next to Senna’s.

“Ok, let’s just get through the songs a few times and see how you do,” Senna instructed, “You’ll be harmonising with me but if Qiyana comes by and wants you too, we’ll work something out when she’s about.”

The other mic must be hers, Aphelios realised.

“Alright, let’s start with Wings,” Senna stated, “Don’t worry about harmonies right now, just feel the music and get it all out.”

Three renditions of Wings and four of Giants later, Senna was beaming.

“I was worried you wouldn’t be able to belt it…but god I was wrong. Yes. Just yes. That’s what I’m talking about! That. Right there. That’s the sound I wanted. This is going to blow their minds.”

Whose minds? The audience’s? The rest of True Damage’s? Uninhibited’s? It didn’t really matter but Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder as they began to work on their harmonies. They moved over to the piano to make sure they were both starting at the right notes. Aphelios had listened to the songs and knew Senna sung all her bits solo. This was evidently the first time she’d worked her lyrics into a duet because they spent a while going over where they wanted to sing in unison and where they wanted to be on different notes. Most of their rehearsal was spent working on the perfect duet, but when Senna seemed happy with what they had, she took him back to the mics.

“Ready to make something new?”

Aphelios nodded. He hadn’t stopped smiling for quite some time now and the next sing through of Wings was no exception. Mid-song, Senna motioned for him to take the mic off its stand and start expressing himself. That was a little nerve-wracking, but everything Vladimir had taught him about strutting suddenly become immensely useful. Mimicking Senna’s confident stride, they broadened and closed the distance between them as they sang, their movements coinciding with when their singing met or branched off into their harmonies. She showed him what to do whilst the others were performing which was a lot of bobbing and moving with the music whilst not drawing too much attention to yourself. Apparently, you needed to be involved with the music, but not detract from your co-stars’ moment in the spotlight.

Five takes of Wings and Giants later, Senna put her hands up for a double high five. Aphelios gave it to her as Alune clapped and cheered from the side-lines.

“Ten out of ten, A star!” Senna declared, “You want to try that with everyone else?”

“Yes please, if that’s ok with them,” Aphelios replied. Senna blinked at him and Alune gasped. However, neither made a comment about his speech. He wondered if Alune had included that in her email too. Whatever the case, Senna grabbed her phone again and raised it to her ear.

“Of course, it’s ok with them! Give me a sec.”

She waited a moment before loudly declaring:

“You guys get your asses out of Starbucks and up here right now. We’ve got a genuine star in here to work with.”

A moment of silence before:

“What do you mean you aren’t in Starbucks? Why are Akali and Yas laughing their asses off? Yes Yas, I know that’s you, don’t fall silent on me. Where are you guys? At least one of you owes me a latte.”

A shorter period of quiet then:

“What do you mean behind the mirror?! Please don’t say this is one those shitty one-way window deals!”

Senna strode over to the mirror wall they’d been performing to and knocked loudly. Both Aphelios and Alune jumped as an equally loud series of knocks came back.

“Alright, fuck you guys,” Senna declared, “You come in here, but not without getting me my latte. Oh, and what do you guys want from Starbucks?”

She directed that back at the twins who were now staring at the mirrored ‘wall’.

“Err, green tea and a black americano, no sugar anywhere,” Alune managed, still staring at the mirror as Senna relayed their order.

“You get that?” Senna demanded, “Sure, order in if you must, just make sure there’s coffee coming.”

There was the sound of many footfalls beyond the studio door. It opened to reveal the rest of True Damage – Ekko, Akali, Yasuo and Qiyana. Aphelios half expected to see the rest of Uninhibited with them, but a quick check at the time told him that Ezreal and Vladimir weren’t due here for a few hours. He’d thought that it would just be him and Senna until then. It looked like Senna thought the same as her bandmates chilled in Starbucks. Yet here they all were. They were in a room surrounded by superstars!

“How long were you guys in there?” demanded Senna.

“Pretty much since the start,” Ekko replied with a shrug, “Did you think we were going to miss out on a solo show from this guy before his band got here?”

Once again, Aphelios couldn’t help but feel flattered. He shook a lot of hands and managed a fair amount of small talk as True Damage picked up what they needed from around the room. He’d been right in thinking that DJ set up was for Yasuo. However, the third mic was Ekko’s, it looked like Qiyana and Akali only used the fancy custom mics they kept in their bags. They gave them a moment to set up before commencing their rehearsal.

“Alright,” Ekko declared, rolling his shoulders before turning to look at the slightly nervous Aphelios now stood between him and Senna.

“You ready to turn this up a notch?”

For once in his life… Aphelios was.


	8. Highs and Lows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphelios has managed to rehearse with True Damage, but what will happened when the rest of his band arrive? Can the two bands get along despite their shaky start? Or will their gig become a disaster?

“So why aren’t you the lead singer of your band?” asked Akali, as they stopped for their delivery of drinks and snacks from Starbucks. Halfway through a ham and cheese croissant, Aphelios wasn’t entirely sure how to reply, both in theory and in practice. Their rehearsal session with the entirety of True Damage had truly been something else. He was used to practicing with Ezreal and Vladimir for hours at a time, but it felt completely different to be utterly surrounded by musicians on every side. Wherever he looked was an amazing performer, a superstar, doing exactly what they did best. Honestly, it was rather surreal. He’d done his research into True Damage to make sure he could sing with them. However, every image he’d seen, every video he’d watched, had displayed them at some huge concert or high fashion event. They were on a level that Uninhibited certainly hadn’t reached and transcended being ‘normal’ into that realm reserved for A-list movie stars and international chart toppers. It was weird to be standing right in the middle of them. Performing with them. Adding his voice to their songs was like dabbing extra paint on a gallery’s masterpiece. It felt wrong. And yet… and yet they seemed to love it. Senna beamed whenever he sung with her. Their first full rendition of each song had left True Damage applauding his efforts and Senna telling them she told them so. They shook his hand and clapped him on the back and were never short of positivity about what he was doing. Yes, his ability to perform to the mirror wasn’t as polished as theirs, but his fellow singers were always happy to lend him tips, even walk him through a set of steps across the floor as if it were their stage. In a way, he felt like a student sat in the teacher’s lounge, or one of those nervous looking children who walked out with a footballer. Being surrounded by so much professional talent…it was insanity surely, or a weird sugar fuelled dream?

“Yeah, why aren’t you?” asked Qiyana, leaning back against the mirror as Senna passed her a plastic takeaway cup full of something pink. Aphelios looked at Alune, who was clearly waiting on him.

“He wasn’t able to sing again until a year after the band was founded,” Alune supplied as soon as he got his thoughts together into sentences, “And by then, it was accepted that Vladimir did the singing.”

“But he doesn’t have half the soul you do,” Ekko commented, “He’s about as fake as those nail extensions of his.”

Alune laughed but Aphelios still tried to defend his band in front of them all.

“I’m not sure Uninhibited are really going for the heartfelt inspirational angle you are,” Alune repeated, “Admittedly, that would make it a lot easier for Aphelios to sing if they did, but that isn’t what they’ve done so far. Ezreal and Vladimir started their path to fame as influencers so perhaps, to them, it’s about being seen more than display real emotions.”

“Which is why you’ve probably got only a few years in you,” Senna commented, sitting down on one of the folding chairs they’d found for their break, “You as in the band, not you as in you Aphelios. People are fickle, they’ll get bored of watching the same three boys dancing on stage and move onto the next pretty thing. If you don’t do anything ground-breaking or inspiring with your work, who’s going to remember you in five, ten, years’ time?”

“They’ve lasted about three already,” Alune pointed out without provocation.

“So, you’re pretty much reaching your shelf-life if you don’t do something big,” Akali agreed, “The next single you make with them better be huge or you’re just going to be another forgettable line of faces. Apart from you of course Aphelios, you’ll get remembered for that Vice performance pretty much forever.”

Aphelios was feeling a bit put out by their negativity. However, they were the more successful band, they knew what they were doing, should he be taking this warning to heart? Did Uninhibited really need to be more than it was already to survive?

“You know,” Ekko said, his tone slowing with suggestion, “If you do ever want to ditch those influencers, or they get bored and move onto something new and shinier… we could do with another guy in the team.”

Yasuo nodded from behind his blueberry muffin.

“Ekko, they’ll sue if we try and recruit him,” Senna told him, “They’re both loaded, and will absolutely flip if we try and steal him.”

“They’re not going to sue if the band’s already gone,” Ekko reasoned, “I’m not saying now, but…just something to consider, you know?”

Aphelios was pretty sure he had gone pink in the face, judging by Alune’s amused look. It was unbelievably flattering to know that it wasn’t only Senna who wanted him, but other band members too. However, the fact was he wasn’t going to ditch his friends even for a band as big as True Damage. He’d probably break Ezreal’s heart – not only abandoning him, but doing it for the band he loved so much? He’d be sad and livid.

“Well,” said Alune, as she rummaged around in her handbag, “If you ever want to work with Phel without having to engage the rest of Uninhibited, here’s our details.”

She pulled out a handful of silver business cards and started to pass them around. Aphelios, who once again, wasn’t sure how he felt about this, merely watched.

“This will get you directly to me, rather than Vladimir who seems to dictate the where’s and who’s of Uninhibited’s performances. Demacia Vice hired Aphelios through me and you’re more than welcome to do the same.”

She glanced at Aphelios, who instantly nodded. This was probably the best compromise? That way True Damage could have his voice if they wanted it, but he didn’t have to betray Uninhibited.

“Good idea,” said Senna, tucking her business card into her phone case, “No need to involve the extras.”

They were being so harsh on Vladimir and Ezreal that it was really starting to get to him. Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder how things were going to go when his bandmates got into the studio. Were they going to be so negative when all of Uninhibited were in the room? That would undoubtedly piss Vladimir off even further…he wouldn’t put it past him to just cancel the whole thing right there and then. Were they just going to lay into them for not meeting their expectations of a good music group? That was no way to treat the people you wanted to open your show for you for free!

“Vladimir and Ezreal are talented performers,” Alune argued for him, “They’re just…a different type of performer than you all are. They’re far more used to being models, to selling the image of themselves, to looking the part, they don’t have the same appreciation for sounding genuine. That doesn’t mean they’d bad though…they’re just in a different genre, a different style to you.”

“We appreciate they’re your friends,” Ekko told him, “We’re not trying to knock them as people, promise. We’ve all met Ezreal, and he’s a sweet guy. Haven’t met Vladimir yet but… Just… Senna and Akali can be a bit on the nose. They’re just liking your sound and they want you to be able to use it in the best way possible. And we all agree, what we’ve heard from you awayof your boyband, much better than anything we’ve heard with you in there.”

“He says he’ll take your feedback to heart and give it a think over,” Alune replied on Aphelios’ behalf, “The other members of Uninhibited are his friends, and he won’t be the one to ruin their dreams. However, if you ever have need of him, he will be there.”

He was indeed going to need to think this all through. Perhaps it was time to sit down and think about what Uninhibited’s appeal really was. Did people like them for their music or their image? Could they have music without the photoshoots that went alongside them? That was a matter for another time though. Ezreal and Vladimir would be arriving soon and True Damage wanted to get a few more rehearsals in before they did.

They had to rearrange the studio a little to connect up the amps for Uninhibited’s electric guitars. As cables were sorted and equipment was moved, Ekko attracted Aphelios’ attention and gestured for him to wander off to one side. Naturally, as his speaking voice for today, Alune came too. They were both looking curiously at the rapper, as he checked to see if his bandmates were paying attention to him. When they clearly weren’t, he turned back to face them.

“So, I got a question to ask you two,” he told them in a conspiratorial whisper, “Nothing big, I promise. Just about something you said earlier.”

Aphelios nodded to show he understood.

“So,” Ekko continued, lowering his voice even further, “You mentioned something about Ezreal, your bandmate, having a crush? On me?”

Alune had to muffle her giggle so not to draw attention to their little private meeting. Aphelios wondered for a moment how he could know that – before remembering that True Damage must have been watching from behind the mirror when Alune had said that out loud.

“ _Let’s not embarrass him too much?”_ he suggested to his sister. She gave a little sigh.

“Sure, I won’t embarrass him if you don’t.”

Ekko looked between them, a little more nervous than they’d seen him before previously. Aphelios hastily came up with a reply.

“He does,” Alune started simply, “Quite a big crush too. He’s a big True Damage fan, but when Aphelios first got introduced to who you guys were, Ezreal introduced you as the ‘hot charming one’.”

Ekko grinned, looking a little more bashful than they might expect.

“But is he interested in like me the musician, or me the person?” he asked, “Because I’ve met my fair share of crazy fans, I expect you have as well?”

Aphelios nodded and gave that a moment of thought. There was no denying that Ezreal was a crazy fan, but he didn’t want to frighten Ekko about Ezreal’s arrival later. Yes Ezreal had done his fair share of screaming, swooning and generally squeaking. However, at his question, he couldn’t help but remember everything Ezreal had told him about True Damage’s party at Rift Fest. His language hadn’t exactly been like the crazy fans he’d encountered.

“He’s definitely a crazy fan of your band,” he had Alune explain, “However, when it comes to you specifically… I think it’s something different. When he came back from your party, after he’d rested up a bit and stopped buzzing, he didn’t talk about you in a way that a crazy fan does. At least not how I’ve experienced it? Crazy fans tend to be quite…objectifying? They talk about you like you’re a slab of meat a lot of the time.”

“Yeah, been there, seen that,” Ekko agreed.

“Ezreal isn’t like that,” Aphelios and Alune continued, “When he told us how he came back to sit and chat with you, and the fact you had breakfast together the next day. Well, he really loves your smile, and making you laugh, he just wanted to make you feel good after such a long night, and he hoped you enjoyed his stories and his company.”

Alune looked at Aphelios oddly.

“He does tend to mention you first before mentioning the rest of True Damage,” she added, “From my experience. I wasn’t at Rift Fest. As far as I can tell, according to Ezreal, True Damage are these amazingly cool superstars no one could ever touch ever but you… he’d probably love to get to know you better as a person.”

Aphelios silently thanked her for that very flattering description compared to the one she’d given earlier. Though Ekko must have heard that too.

“Thanks,” Ekko said, with a grateful nod, “I’ll have a think about that. Thank you. Better go get some more reps in before they arrive right?”

As they continued to practice, Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder how his bandmates were going to behave when they got here. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long. Ezreal and Vladimir arrived together, though they looked like they had come from completely different locations and for completely different reasons. Ezreal was dressed comfortably and casually, just like the notes had said. He’d donned a low-neck sweater over a button up shirt and a pair of comfortable slacks with trainers. Vladimir on the other hand…. Vladimir looked like he’d just stepped off a runway. He took off his oversized pair of black sunglasses as he stepped in the room, long red coat swishing behind him. Beneath that he had a clearly branded pearl-white shirt and a pair of trousers so form-fitting that he might have dyed his legs rather than donned any clothing. A clearly diamond-studded watch shone from his wrist, highlighting the sheer amount of sparkle around his fingers and his long silver nails. He looked a million dollars – which was probably how much that outfit cost more or less.

“Good afternoon!” Ezreal exclaimed cheerily as he entered, carrying both his and Vladimir’s guitars, “What an amazing studio this is!”

“I know right?” Ekko agreed, hurrying forward to shake his hand. Aphelios was almost shocked to see that Ezreal neither stammered nor squealed as Ekko took his hand. In fact, as they set themselves up, Ezreal didn’t act even the slightest out of the ordinary about the band he adored so much. He was bright, cheerful, quick to make a joke… pretty much his regular self but in front of new people. Aphelios could barely believe it. Where was the screaming and squealing? What about the ultra-fast talking, blushing and wiggling? No. Ezreal was practically suave as he flitted around between different members of True Damage, greeting them, complimenting their outfits and talking about the turn in the weather outside. He was so utterly composed, collected and smooth, that it was hard to believe he’d ever cause a problem for anyone. This was the Ezreal Aphelios was used to seeing at parties – the charming rogue who drew crowds to him like moths around a flame. The guy who made fangirls swoon and impressed interviewers with his witty banter. Fanboy Ezreal wasn’t here. This was professional popstar Ezreal and…well… he was impressive.

“I hope you haven’t been working our Phel too hard!” he commented, putting down the guitars, “We can’t have him worn out before the big show.”

“Please,” Senna commented, “Just give him to us and we’d deliver a real show. How much do you want for him?”

“What?” replied Ezreal, as Aphelios reeled at her sheer brazenness.

“Come on, give him to True Damage and we’ll make it worth your while,” Senna suggested.

This was not funny! Aphelios resisted the urge to glare with all his might, however Ezreal seemed to think she was having a laugh.

“Phel’s not for sale,” Ezreal chuckled, “We’d absolutely fall apart without him, isn’t that right guys?”

Vladimir, meanwhile, was saying absolutely nothing. He was gliding about the room with an air of cold indifference about him. He picked up his blood red guitar out of its case and plugged it in with a swift professionalism that made him look like he wanted this over and done with. Even when Senna did her welcomes and a pre-prepared speech about what they wanted the show to look like and how Uninhibited were going to play their part, he didn’t comment. In fact, he went even further than not comment – he let Ezreal do all the talking. Hadn’t he made sure in their last meeting that Ezreal was not to be the one leading a discussion with True Damage? Hadn’t he insisted he (and Aphelios) got a say in everything from now on? But no, he wasn’t contributing anything to this discussion except his very glamorous presence. As they started their rehearsal his playing was perfect, his performance was icy but overall fine… except he’d yet to say a word.

This bothered Aphelios immensely. Vladimir was never one to shy away from the sound of his own voice. In fact, it was rare to be in a situation with Vladimir where Vladimir wasn’t the one in charge. Even on the ‘respect Phel’ photoshoot, where he had literally put a collar on Vladimir, Vladimir had been in charge. Yet he wasn’t doing anything of the sort here. He was just standing about, playing, standing about a bit more, playing again… This was so wrong. He’d never known Vladimir to just do as he was told. He’d never let another person, let alone a strange, let alone a band he didn’t like, just boss him around like this. Everything Vladimir liked, everything Vladimir thrived on, was about being in control. Yet Vladimir was being more silent than he was! That shouldn’t happen!

They finished up a rendition of Giants and agreed to stop for a ten-minute refreshment and bathroom break. Aphelios took this as his opportunity to grab Vladimir by the sleeve, gesture to Alune to stay where she was, before leading him out of the room and towards the men’s facilities. It wasn’t until they were down the corridor and inside the bathrooms, until Vladimir said anything.

 _“What do you want?”_ he asked. Not verbally, but in sign language, what was going on?

 _“Are you ok?”_ Aphelios asked, _“You’re acting…not like yourself at all. Is something wrong?”_

Vladimir huffed, blowing a bit of hair up off his face.

 _“I’m fine,”_ he replied, “ _Let’s just get this over with.”_

No, that wasn’t a very Vladimir-like attitude to have. The Vladimir he knew would use this miraculous situation to find a way to benefit from it. To exert his influence over the proceedings. To make sure he could shape this into a situation he could profit from. Instead, it seemed like he’d just given up complete control over the proceedings.

Wait.

That was it.

 _“You’re not fine,”_ Aphelios told him, “ _I can see you’re not fine. You’re extremely uncomfortable because you have no control over the current situation.”_

Vladimir blinked at him in shock.

_“That’s why you’re so angry at True Damage. They’re taking control of something that’s yours – Uninhibited, and our ability to perform. They’re controlling our time in a way that you can’t stop because their fame and success means they have power over us. You don’t like feeling helpless, controlled, having the ability to make decisions taken away from you. This whole affair has been as triggering for you as it has for me. I’m sorry I didn’t realise sooner.”_

Vladimir stared at him; mouth slightly open.

 _“I’m not sure I can make things better immediately_ ,” Aphelios continued, _“But…if there’s anything you need, anything you want to say to True Damage that you can’t, I’m here for you. They seem to hold some respect for me so if I say it… they’ll probably listen. This whole process has been really horrible, but we’re almost at the final hurdle. We’ll have our half hour in the spotlight to show True Damage they were wrong to try and control us. And… no matter how many times they suggest it. I am not joining them. I am a proud member of Uninhibited and True Damage is no threat to us.”_

There was a moment where they simply stood either side of a sink staring at each other. Vladimir took a small step forward, heels clicking on bathroom tile. Before Aphelios could wonder what he was up to, Vladimir had hugged him.

“Thank you,” he mumbled into Aphelios’ ear, before quickly letting go, as if the act had embarrassed him.

“ _You’re welcome_ ,” Aphelios replied, _“Let’s…just play nice for now and see how they react at the concert.”_

Less than two weeks to go, and whilst Aphelios definitely feeling better about his ability to sing, he had no idea how he would fare at the concert itself. These nerves weren’t improved when he decided to actually look up the venue they’d be playing in. Wembley Stadium, venue to both football and concerts, had a maximum capacity of ninety thousand people. And True Damage had sold it out completely. This was good for the charity money-raising aspect but…ninety thousand people?! He expressed his shock to the band. Prompting Vladimir to arrange for them to go have a hefty meal before they were due at the stadium, so they could have their own private pep-talk before meeting with True Damage.

Another private talk managed to lighten the mood as Aphelios waited for the big day to come. He was at home, chilling with Yuumi, when suddenly he got a text from Sett asking if he was around for a chat. He then suggested Aphelios get his laptop, because he’d finally got all his photos together from their tour so far. Domination was currently stuck in a large traffic jam on the way to the Netherlands. However, their saving grace, and the reason everyone wasn’t at each other’s throats, was the fact they had Wi-Fi. Sett had spent his time transferring all the photos from his phone onto his laptop, and now he wanted someone to show them to.

“Alright, I can show you my screen, that’ll make things easier,” he told Aphelios, “I’ve got one lot of photos for sharing on Facebook, and then a bunch that probably wouldn’t look good on there. Only really got Facebook so my Ma can like the photos I put there and share them with her friends, but there’s probably a few here she doesn’t need to see.”

“ _Too much late-night partying_?” Aphelios suggested. Sett gave a snort of laughter.

“Yeah, don’t want her thinking her little boy’s staying up past his bedtime too much. That and the drinking, some of the scantily clad ladies in the bars we’ve been to, who knows, might be some drugs in the background, that kind of thing.”

 _“You must go to some very exciting places,”_ Aphelios commented, _“Or at least somewhere with very wild nightlives.”_

“Eh, it’s not anything you wouldn’t find at home, if you know where to look,” Sett replied, “Though honestly? Recently I’ve found that the gigs are the least excitin’ part of this whole touring deal. It’s all about the sights and smells you pass by and all that – a bar looks like a bar, a stage’s a stage, if you know what I mean.”

“ _I_ _imagine they must blur together,”_ Aphelios agreed, thinking about the many swanky bars the others had dragged him to and how one looked barely different to the other.

“Exactly,” Sett stated, “It’s way more fun visiting all the place in between, you know, when Mr Budget actually lets us have fun.”

Aphelios couldn’t help but wonder who Mr Budget was. Swain? Maybe Pyke or Zed…he didn’t know much about them.

Sett took a moment to set up his screenshare and suddenly Aphelios was presented with a view of Sett’s Facebook page. His profile was remarkably tame compared to when he’d last seen the man. In fact, Sett was wearing a suit in his profile picture, which was something Aphelios had certainly never seen before. He looked so cute with his hair all combed down, his ears neatly groomed and he was even wearing a bow tie! This clearly was a page only for his mother. There was no way a fan of Domination would see this and recognise the man as their drummer.

“ _I like your picture_ ,” he said, “ _You look very dashing.”_

Sett looked a little embarrassed at that, moving away from his profile and into his photos.

“Thanks…that was at my Ma’s birthday party a few years back. All her friends kept calling me a handsome boy and tried to feed me cake.”

 _“Well you do look very handsome,”_ Aphelios reasoned. Sett managed a grin at that.

“I prefer hearing it from you, that’s for sure,” he replied, “Alright, let’s look at these pics first.”

They started off with Domination clearly setting off into the Eurotunnel. Katarina was wearing a Rift Fest shirt as she napped in the passenger seat as Sett gave her bunny ears by holding his fingers up behind her head for a selfie. Then there was another photo of the band on the other side of the tunnel, parked near a large side that said “Bienvenue en France!” Aphelios thought that might be one for their social media – to let their fans know they’d arrived. Next was a few shots of the concert hall they’d be performing in for their Paris performances.

“Turns out we’ve got a lot of fans in France,” Sett explained as he clicked through, “We’ve even got cover bands there who’ve translated our songs into French. We had one open for us and they were pretty damn good. Apart from that, pretty average gig, crowd liked it. But…”

He clicked onwards with a chuckle. The next picture was undeniably Domination in front of the enormous castle at Disneyland.

“This was the fun bit,” Sett proclaimed, “Paris Disney, never been there before, but I did watch old Disney VHS with my Ma as a kid so it was pretty damn cool. Not exactly a Rockstar thing I know, but what’s the point of being an adult with money if you don’t get to do stuff like this?”

 _“I don’t think being a Rockstar means you can’t go to Disneyland,”_ Aphelios replied, _“I’m pretty sure its an everyone sort of thing.”_

“True, true,” Sett said, as he clicked through his Disneyland photos, “Anyway, we couldn’t get Morgana to put on the damn Minnie Mouse ears for love nor money, so we had to buy her the Maleficent horns which were like, twice as many euros. And this was Pyke getting stuck in the “It’s a Small World” ride, which was hilarious. Oh, and here’s me and the Cheshire Cat. No one would listen that I’m a wolverine, but hey, it’s a nice photo.”

He clicked on, skipping a few repeats of him in the Alice in Wonderland maze.

“Ah, here’s where we made Swain pose with the Stormtroopers, he could totally be a Star Wars baddie, right?”

“ _I’ve never seen Star Wars,”_ Aphelios confessed, “ _But he does look like a bit like a villain, yes. Could I show that photo to Vlad? He’ll probably find it funny.”_

“Sure! Also, turns out one of the troopers was a fan of ours, so that was pretty neat,” Sett continued, “Oh, and this is the restaurant we went to. Look at those pizzas! Turns out if you stick three together it’s a mouse!”

That was true, three pizzas on a giant plate did sort of make a mouse head shape. The rest of the Disney photos were mostly Sett posing with bits of scenery and a man dressed up as Aladdin. They then moved onto Domination’s trip across France, stopping for one more gig, before they ended up in Germany

“They really appreciate rock in Berlin,” Sett commented, “Really want to go there again. Food is amazing and the fans were super nice considering only one of us knew any German. I’ll show you the night on the town we did later, ‘cause I don’t really want my Ma seeing that, but there’s some damn good beers you can try there. I may have ended up fighting a guy in the parking lot after he tried to hit on Di… she could’ve handled him herself but you know, sometimes you just got to get drunk and start a fight.”

Aphelios took his word for it.

“Also, architecture and stuff,” Sett continued, showing him shots that were clearly out the window of the bus, “Didn’t get a snap of it, but we absolutely saw some deer in the woods we drove past. I know we’ve got deer back home but it’s still pretty cool.”

 _“Deer are very shy, so it’s hard to see them even here,”_ Aphelios commented.

“Yeah, and these ones are big!” Sett replied, “Huge-ass antlers and everything. Anyway, we did several places in Germany and they were all pretty great.”

His Facebook photos seemed to end as they left Germany. However, as Sett navigated away from his Facebook, something caught Aphelios’ eye. Back on his profile, he caught a glimpse of Sett’s birthday and instantly went to check his own laptop’s calendar. Wasn’t that a week or so after Domination got back? That was so soon! He had to find Sett a present!

“So, when’s your big gig with True Damage?” asked Sett, as he pulled up the photos from his own online storage. Aphelios gave him the date and he gave a hmm as if thinking hard.

“It’s going to be on TV, right?” he asked, “I mean, True Damage at Wembley, they should probably record it or somethin’.”

“It’s going to be streamed live on their various channels,” Aphelios replied, “You can probably catch it if you’ve got a good internet connection. It’s part of their fundraising efforts, so people who aren’t there can contribute too.”

“Well, then you better send me a time so I can check it out,” Sett said, “Not going to miss such a big show for you and the team. I reckon you’re going to smash it out there.”

Aphelios smiled.

_“Thank you for your confidence…we’ll definitely do our best.”_

When the big day arrived, Aphelios wished he was still in bed looking at photos of Sett in various bars. After a while, the photos had blurred together a bit into a parade of dark lit bars and massive glasses of beer. After Germany, Domination had briefly visited Belgium before heading to The Netherlands to visit, what Sett had described, as some very iconic rock venues. He was clearly a lot more excited about those than his previous performances, so Aphelios was happy that he could enjoy himself at last. He had indeed texted him the time of his show as promised – in his current time zone, before going out to have that meal with Vladimir and Ezreal.

To his great relief, Vladimir was talking again. He spoke throughout their entire meal and it was less of a group pep-talk and more of a lecture from Vladimir on how amazing they were, and the fact they were going to make True Damage see that. Aphelios couldn’t help but notice that, once again, Vladimir was dressed incredibly expensively. Was he trying to make some kind of statement? Was he trying to out-class True Damage somehow? It barely mattered because they were going to change into the True Damage inspired outfits as soon as they got to the arena. However, if it made Vladimir feel better about the situation, then Aphelios certainly wasn’t going to comment. Alune, once again, had donned a suit for the occasion – this time with the diamond earrings she’d got before Rift Fest. He noted the large gold broach, shaped like a feather, on the lapel of her suit jacket and asked where she’d got it. Alune definitely preferred silver for her jewellery, so seeing her with gold was a little odd.

“Oh, this is the one of the Guardian Angel pins!” she explained, “A more expensive one, but it all goes to the charity you’re performing for. The Guardian Angel Project - for children and their families living on or below the poverty line! I did my research and think True Damage were actually the founders.”

“That’s so cool of them,” Ezreal sighed as they all got into the taxi, “They’re talented and they care.”

In True Damage’s absence, Ezreal was displaying his fanboy tendencies again. He gave an excited gasp when they saw a billboard advertising the very concert they were performing at. And then another at the next billboard…and then a third at a large poster on a nearby shopping centre. By the time he was at the entrance to Wembley Stadium, he was beside himself with excitement.

“We’re here!” he cried, leaping out the back of the taxi, “We’re actually here! With True Damage! At Wembley! We’re real pop stars now baby!”

“We’ve been real popstars for years darling,” Vladimir commented, paying their driver, “Save making a spectacle of yourself for the stage.”

Indeed, people at the nearby bus stops were staring at them. Alune took the lead towards the stadium proper, where a series of security guards checked through their bags and scanned the cards proving that they were performers. Once they got security’s seal of approval, they were taken through the enormous stadium to the backstage area, set aside for True Damage and their entourage of stage hands and stylists.

“Welcome!” exclaimed Senna, who was already dressed in her stage ensemble. The theme for this show was definitely gold and white – matching the colours the Guardian Angel Project used in all their branding. Yet even though this was a charity gig, none of the outfits or stage pieces were humble. This was clearly going to be a spectacular show as they were shown around the currently-vacant stage. The enormous arena was lit up gold with many sparkling glitterballs suspended above the thousands upon thousands of seats. The stage itself had been helmed with an enormous wall of screens, placed behind an enormous set of white and gold angel wings. Their places had been marked on the floor with tape, invisible to the audience, and their instruments were put in their proper positions next to white microphones. Firework spouts and glitter cannons were shown and demonstrated. The enormous screens were turned on to display the backdrop for their warm up set. As they were taken backstage, the lighting momentarily dazzled them as the crew began to test each set of lights for the performance. This all made Rift Fest look like busking in the park with the level of technology involved!

They were taken to a side room with their band name of the door in gold glitter. Inside were three rails of clothing, each next to a mirror with one of their names on it. Ezreal let out a cry of utmost joy before sprinting over to his rail. They were told they have half an hour to pick out an outfit before they were required in hair and makeup. Ezreal eagerly dove into his rail headfirst whilst Aphelios stood and tried to take it all in. There were a lot of clothes here – how was he supposed to know what looked best.

“I’m going to wait outside whilst you change,” Alune commented as Ezreal promptly ripped his shirt off. Aphelios nodded in agreement and watched her depart. His attention was then drawn by a very displeased voice at the far end of the room.

“Tacky, tacky, ugh, too many sequins… What the hell is that? Tacky, dear god, is that plastic? Tacky, gross… that would do at a push… tacky.”

Vladimir was inspecting his rail of clothing and it clearly wasn’t living up to his expectations. Deciding it was probably best to sort out his own clothing before tackling his bandmate’s ego, Aphelios paid attention to his own rail. It was definitely a lot of metallic gold and white that he’d never wear out of his choice. But hey, this was just another costume wasn’t it? After some deliberation, he chose a pair of tight white trousers that hugged his form in the way that fans liked. With that he included a charcoal-grey shirt that had many triangles cut out of the fabric to form an interesting pattern around the neckline. On top of that, much to Vladimir’s disgust, he added a cropped-length gold puffer jacket with a pair of white angel wings embroidered on the back.

“Aphelios, this is all terrible,” Vladimir whined as the door opened slightly on its hinges behind them, “I can’t be seen in this!”

 _“Just think of it like a costume,”_ Aphelios told him, _“Another photoshoot perhaps?”_

“I wouldn’t wear anything like this to a photoshoot!” Vladimir exclaimed, “It’s like someone raided every charity shop in London for every gold thing they had! It’s so….so common. So urban. What do they think I am? Some footballer’s gold-digger girlfriend? I hate it.”

Aphelios had no idea what he meant by that, but it was too late to change it now.

 _“Just pick the best of it?”_ he tried, _“I’m sure you’ll look good in whatever you put on.”_

“Oh, I know I will,” Vladimir assured him, “But do I really have to wear this…and put my hair up? I know it says hair up on the brief but can’t I at least have one inch of decency?”

“What are you complaining about now?” asked Ezreal. He crossed the room wearing a pair of white jeans with many gold studded belts hanging off the loops. His short-sleeved shirt was white with a gold trim and also bore angel wings on the back. His fingerless gloves were also very gold, with belt-like bracelets that matched the studded leather around his waist. In his hair perched a pair of golden sunglasses with weird slits in them – just like Senna had been wearing earlier.

“This!” Vladimir exclaimed, pointing at his rail of clothing, “I can’t go out there looking like that! This is nothing I’d ever wear in a million years! When have you ever seen me dressed like this?”

“Hey, I’ve never dressed like this before and I look great!” Ezreal replied cheerily, giving them a twirl, “I look like True Damage!”

“You look like a white teenage boy who thinks he’s a rapper,” Vladimir commented, scowling at Ezreal as he began to tie his hair up into a bun. Ezreal looked like he was visibly deflating, but before Aphelios could tell him to ignore Vladimir completely, there was shout from across the room:

“Hey, what crawled up your ass and died?”

There, standing in the doorway to their changing room, was Ekko. He had his arms folded and was glaring at Vladimir. Vladimir glared straight back as he approached.

“My boy Ezreal looks cute in that outfit. You keep your elitist crap to yourself.”

Aphelios was surprised that Ezreal hadn’t swooned and fainted at that. He’d gone from deflating to positively vibrating in the space of a few words.

 _“I want to be his boy so bad…”_ he signed at Aphelios.

Aphelios smiled.

“ _I know you do. Just ignore Vlad, you look great.”_

Ezreal perked up a little bit more at that.

“Please,” drawled Vladimir, still glaring at Ekko, “You’ve done everything you can to take away the spirit of what Uninhibited is, and now you want us to humiliate ourselves with wearing this bullshit? You may not be paying us, but at least allow us some dignity.”

“Vlad!” exclaimed Ezreal.

“Oh shut up,” Vladimir told him, “And go and put some decent fucking clothes on.”

Moon and stars, he was mad. Vladimir didn’t sound angry but if the swears were out whilst sober… silent rage was the deadliest after all. Aphelios hesitated for a moment, wondering if he needed to take Vlad out or ask Ezreal and Ekko to vacate the room. Vladimir may be triggered by being bossed around, but there was no need for him to spout such vitriol at someone who’d never been anything but nice to them! Personal trauma didn’t justify being an absolute arsehole to anyone else!

“I think,” Ekko retorted, stepping closer, “That Ezreal and Aphelios look amazing in those threads, and it’s your silver-spoon fed ass that’s being the real problem here.”

“I’d rather leave this place right now than wear this garbage!” Vladimir declared, “See how you do without an opening act in front of an audience of thousands! How embarrassing it would be if True Damage can’t even get their warm up to stick around!”

“Vladimir,” Ezreal whined, “Vlad please, calm down, they’re just clothes…”

 _“Vladimir, it’s only a few hours,_ ” Aphelios told him, _“You can get the mods to take down any photos you don’t like, it’ll be fine.”_

Ekko sighed deeply.

“You know what?” he declared, “Ez, Aphelios, you come with me. We don’t need any stuck-up toff third-wheeling this party.”

He gestured for them to join him. Ezreal immediately did so, but Aphelios was still too stunned to move.

“And you know what?” Ekko continued, now talking to Vladimir again, “We don’t need you. You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. Hell, I doubt these two really need you anyway. Uninhibited? They’re done as soon as Phel gets the confidence to go solo and hey, maybe we could do with a bassist too? Or maybe Ez can help us with our promotion, we could do with a gorgeous influencer working with us on the Project. Reckon he looks like an angel, don’t you?”

Once again, Aphelios was surprised Ezreal hadn’t fainted. However, his surprise was short-lived as he looked around at the terrible situation they’d found themselves in. Ezreal would undoubtedly go off with Ekko now he was blushing like a schoolgirl. Vladimir didn’t seem to be budging, merely glowering at Ekko with the utmost venom in his eyes. Would he really go home? Should Aphelios let him. What were they going to do with only two thirds of Uninhibited? Could he really sing their entire set list by himself? Was he going to have to?

“You’ve got five minutes until hair and make-up!” came Alune’s voice from the other side of the door, “You boys better be done yelling in there!”

Silence met her overly-cheerful call. Everyone stared at everyone else in the most pop star version of a showdown that Aphelios could ever imagine. Thankfully there weren’t any guns on hand as glowers lengthened and breathing turned laboured.

“Give me five minutes,” Vladimir growled, so quietly Aphelios almost missed it, “I’ll see you there.”

It wasn’t the way Aphelios wanted to start the concert. However, he had his whole band, a full face of makeup, and plenty of lovely encouragement from Alune, Ezreal and True Damage as they prepared to do their warm up act. He was reading through his glittery gel pen list of everything to be proud of, when finally, Vladimir joined them. He was wearing a long white coat with the same winged motif on the back, this time in gold lace. Underneath was a gold mesh shirt and a pair of high waisted trousers with gold trim. He had kept his own heels on, but those were matte black and probably would go unnoticed by the crowd. As the stage manager shouted that they would be on in five, Vladimir turned and smirked at the assembled members of True Damage. They had set themselves up some seats off stage so they could get a look at their warm up act. Senna raised an eyebrow at Vladimir whilst Ekko just sighed. Just before they were about to go on, he called out

“Hey Ez!”

Ezreal turned around to look at Ekko.

“Yes?”

“You want to go for drinks after this is all over?”

Ezreal’s eyes widened.

“Y-Yes! Of course!”

Ekko smiled.

“Alright then, see you later.”

There was a definite skip in Ezreal’s step as they marched out onto the stage.

Their arrival was met with a tidal wave of noise. They may not be True Damage, but the enormous crowd was giving it their all -screaming, shouting, hollering. They were mostly a sea of faceless forms in the darkness, but occasionally a sign would pop up in the standing area below. Vladimir pointed at a large neon-painted sign that said “UNINHIBITED STOLE MY HEART” with the heart being drawn in pink. It was good to know some of their fans were here too. Aphelios took a deep breath as he picked up his guitar. Alright. He could do this! He’d done so well in the rehearsals! He could do this!

“Good evening Wembley!” Vladimir called, grabbing his white angel-winged mic, “And good evening to all you wonderful people who have come online to support this most excellent cause.”

Once on stage he didn’t sound remotely grumpy. His performance persona had clearly taken hold. Whatever he was feeling, it was undeniable that Vladimir could put on a show.

“We of Uninhibited are delighted to be here, singing to you all and raising money for the Guardian Angel Project,” Vladimir continued, “So let’s get you all warmed up, shall we?”

Sparks flew as Ezreal and Aphelios hit their first notes.

All in all, it wasn’t too different to Rift Fest. The stage and the audience were certainly bigger, and there were far more pyrotechnics, however the crowd was just as loud and faceless, and the routines were pretty much the same. As if Rift Fest had been a warm up to this, Aphelios found himself getting into the swing of things much faster than he had on the Silver Stage. That was a relief because their set here was much shorter, he didn’t have time to get used to it. In a way, he preferred this to Rift Fest, the audience was so big and far away he couldn’t really see their faces, and therefore it was easier to pretend they weren’t watching. Of course, he still did his best to play to the crowd, smiling, rolling his hips and strutting about the stage but… yes, this was definitely easier than the last time he performed. Well, if he didn’t have to sing at the end of it.

“Thank you,” Vladimir called as their set drew to a close, only a few minutes remaining until the intermission. The lights around them dimmed, with a faint pink hue lighting up the stage. A singular spotlight hit Vladimir as Ezreal put down his bass and retrieved his other guitar.

“Thank you, ever so much,” Vladimir exclaimed, “We have one last treat for you all before we pass you over to the main event. As you all must know, celebrating such an amazing cause deserves an equally amazing voice. And that’s why I’m going to hand this mic off to my friend here – enjoy.”

There were audible gasps as he passed Aphelios the mic.

The screens behind them, momentarily dark, suddenly lit up with pink neon outlines of palm trees, gently swaying as the rest of the stage stayed dim apart from the spotlight.

Aphelios took a deep breath as the opening notes of Track 14 caused a number of small screams from the audience.

And then…

And then, ninety-thousand people listened to him sing his heart out upon that stage. He kept one hand on the mic, the other reaching out for the crowds as if they were the ones he yearned for. This was a family-friendly concert after all, so he couldn’t use his lustful movements from Vice, but he kept that note there. Instead directing it to the audience as if it was their love he so desperately craved. Apart from the occasional gasp or click of a camera, the entire arena was silent, silent for a good few minutes until the last note glided from the speakers. There was a full ten seconds of further quiet until…

The screaming.

The ear-popping mind-blowing screaming.

Aphelios found himself smiling, giving a bow to the audience. In a moment of daring he stood up the mic and whispered:

“Thank you.”

The screaming only intensified as he hurried off the stage, hardly daring to believe what he’d just done. He ran back into the waiting area to find True Damage staring at him in stunned silence. Alune was looking at him, mouth open, until she too started to scream.

“OhmystarsPhelthatwassosogoodIcan’tbelieve…”

He hurried forward to hug her, shaking from head to toe, barely able to accept that had just happened, let alone comprehend there was more of it.

“You…” gasped Senna, “You didn’t tell us Track 14 was part of your list…”

“No, we didn’t,” proclaimed Vladimir, stepping backstage, Ezreal and guitars in tow, “However, we wanted to give this show a little extra magic, you know, for charity.”

There was nothing in his smug expression that said this was for charity. Senna ignored him.

“Well thank goodness we have half an hour before we have to follow that,” she proclaimed, “Alright, you boys rest up. You’ll know when we need you.”

They got to sit in True Damage’s seats whilst they performed. Aphelios couldn’t stop shaking as Alune kept on praising and hugging him. Ezreal tried to round them for a selfie, but as soon as the picture loaded, they could see that Aphelios was immensely pale even with all the makeup on. Ezreal promised not to use that one Instagram as it was and added some filters to make him look less like a ghost.

“We did it!” He exclaimed in a stage whisper, “We opened for True Damage, we’re stars!”

“Yes, we did,” Vladimir agreed, taking a swig of water, “I hope something actually comes of this.”

Aphelios wasn’t thinking of what came next. He still had singing to do, to some of True Damage’s best-known songs no less. Oh, he’d conquered one hurdle but the next was looming ever closer. He couldn’t focus on Ezreal and Vladimir’s discussion on stage lights and snacks as he forced himself to drink water, then to use the bathroom, and then to drink more water as the time slowly came. And then, sooner even than he was expecting, True Damage did their bows and went back stage, waiting for a few minutes before they went out do their encores.

“Ready?” said Ekko as Uninhibited got to their feet.

“Sure are!” Ezreal replied, “Let’s do this!”

Senna looked at Aphelios, who was still trembling, but was looking at his new wireless mic with determination.

“You prepared Phel?” she asked.

He nodded. Deep down he felt he could wait a decade and never be truly ready, however his moment was now. He just had to take it.

“Alright!” Senna called, “Roll out!”

Fireworks flew and glitter rained from the sky as True Damage made their reappearance back on stage. The audience went wild, even more so when they realised that their favourite band hadn’t returned alone. They waved and posed for the crowd as everyone took their places across the stage. Aphelios stuck by Senna where she’d assigned him to be, A few notes blasted from the speakers as Ekko crossed the stage to where Ezreal stood with his bass. The opening notes to Wings blasted out, prompting Ekko to proclaim:

“True Damage.”

“Uninhibited!” exclaimed Ezreal into Ekko’s mic, looking like he was having the time of his life.

Wings began to an absolute barrage of shouts and applause. Aphelios did his best to bob and move with the music, tension mounting in his chest as every second passed, growing closer to that chorus.

**Master those wings. Set yourself free.**

**No one can tell us who we ought to be.**

**The sky’s got no limits.**

**And neither do we.**

**Soar high, soar proud, soar with me!**

He could detect the moment of shock and confusion in the crowd as two voices appeared for the chorus rather than one, but this soon turned into shrieks of delight. He shot a shy smile towards where he knew the cameras were and soon enough the second chorus was upon them and he gave it his all. By the end of Wings, his trembling had turned into an excitable buzz. He bounced on the spot as the audience went mad with applause, before being instantly silenced again by Ekko taking centre stage.

Performing Giants with True Damage, in front ninety thousand people, had to be the most unreal moment of Aphelios’ life. Looking back on it, he couldn’t help but wonder if that was what it like to feel high on some sort of illegal substance. Performing that song, and then performing it again because the audience demanded it… it felt like he was walking on air. That life had been reduced down a series of blazing golds and bright whites and he had reached some sort of… singing dimension. He didn’t truly understand where he was, or who he was, he just sung on command pouring everything he had into those oh-so famous lyrics. Senna gently led him off the stage in a daze and helped Alune put him in a seat.

“That was everything I could’ve dreamt of,” Senna told him, “Thank you Aphelios, for giving our song that bit of extra magic.”

Aphelios merely nodded, still shaking, but it was a happy sort of shaking. If such a thing existed. He felt drained but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It was confirmation that he had truly poured everything he had into that performance and now… now he was elated but tired. The sheer exertion of pushing past his fear and giving it that 150% was taking its toll and he really just wanted a nap. Watching everyone celebrate around him, he saw Ezreal wander off with Ekko, clearly going to get those drinks they’d agreed to. Yasuo was on the phone to someone, speaking what was probably Japanese, but he sounded as excited as everyone else backstage. Akali and Qiyana were taking post-performance selfies with large glittery flutes of champagne. Senna was wiping her brow on a towel and taking off her glasses as she watched Vladimir pass by without a word to him.

“Are you two going to be fine getting home?” Vladimir asked Aphelios and Alune, “I need to take a long call, privately.”

“Sure,” Alune agreed, “We can book a cab fine by ourselves.”

Vladimir took a second look at the wiped out Aphelios before leaving without another word. As soon as he was gone, Senna told them she’d pay for the cab.

Alune insisted on stopping for drive-through on the way home, but Aphelios barely noticed. He dozed off in the back of the car as she drank his milkshake as well as her own. He managed his chicken nuggets before resting his head on her shoulder. She smoothed his hair down from where it had been stuck up with spray and let him doze off there, removing the food from his lap so he didn’t make a mess. It took just over two hours to get home, yet Aphelios slept through a good hour and a half of it. By the time Alune roused him to get out of the car, he was feeling remarkably refreshed. Still a little shaky, yes, but it appeared the nap had brought a little focus back into his thoughts and certainly replenished the energy he needed to make his way inside. It was late, long past midnight, when they arrived home. Yuumi was fast asleep on the sofa as they made their quiet way through the house and said goodnight over a glass of water to wash down the junk food.

Aphelios went to his room, pulling on his soft bunny pyjamas before retrieving his phone from the pocket of his jeans. He had a message.

**Fucking hell, I think we all know who’s the real angel on that stage.**

It was from Sett.

He lay on his bed and, despite the call of sleep, texted back.

**“Enjoy the show?”**

Sent. Received. And a second later…

**“YES!!!**

**Couldn’t really give a crap about the TD-only bits,**

**BUT YOUR VOICE.”**

Aphelios smiled. He considered wishing him a good night before another few messages popped up on his screen.

**“Wanna call?**

**Got my own hotel room.**

**Got to give my angel his reward for being so utterly amazing.”**

Oh.

Oh well then.

“ **Let me grab my laptop and headphones.”**

Thoughts of sleep thoroughly gone, he grabbed the necessary technology from his desk, before hesitating, wondering if he had everything he needed. Then his gaze slid down to the bottom drawer, which was mostly random Uninhibited merch he didn’t use, but also…also an item he hadn’t dared do anything with except read the instructions and download the app. He’d never even tried it but…but why not now? Didn’t he deserve something a little extra after all he’d done today? Didn’t he deserve a reward?

He set everything up at the foot of his bed, took off his pyjama trousers and put on his headphones. Curled up against his duvet, Sett wouldn’t be able to see anything except his legs, but the suggestion was there. Sure enough, no sooner had he sent a message saying he was ready, he got an invitation to call. Accepting immediately, he was greeted by the familiar sight of Sett on a hotel bed, dressed in his night-time attire of a too-small t-shirt and boxers.

“Hey Phel,” he greeted, his voice already slightly husky. Aphelios gave a delighted little shiver.

“ _Hi Sett,”_ he replied, “ _Can I suggest an experiment for us tonight?”_

Sett raised an eyebrow at him, but grinned nevertheless

“Go ahead, what have you got for me?”

Aphelios held up the bag holding the vibrator and slowly, ever slowly, withdrew it from the silken fabric. By the time he’d revealed all eight inches of smooth silicone coated rod, Sett’s eyes were as round as pennies. Aphelios placed the tip against his lips, making the man groan.

 _“It’s controllable by app,”_ Aphelios told him, after putting the vibrator down, “ _You can connect your phone with mine and control this…this toy inside me_.”

“Oh god yes,” Sett hissed, “How do I do that bunny?”

Admittedly, showing him the instructions on how to set up the app and device on his phone, wasn’t very sexy. Aphelios decided not to try and simply presented him with the necessary QR code and guided him through the process of linking their apps together. Once that was done however, he experimentally pressed the tip of the toy to his lips again and mouthed the word ‘try it’.

Suddenly his lips were tingling as the toy buzzed against him. He jumped, wondering how that was going to feel inside of him.

“Looks like it’s working,” Sett commented, “You ever put anything that large inside you before?”

“ _No,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _But I’m going to need to practice for when it’s finally time to take your cock.”_

Sett let out a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a growl.

“Aren’t you just the filthiest tonight,” he said, voice full of approval, “Riding high on post-show confidence? I don’t blame you. Even in another band’s clothes, you’re the most gorgeous guy on this goddamn planet.”

Aphelios smiled at him, an idea forming in his mind that he knew Sett was going to enjoy.

 _“You’re right though,”_ he replied, _“I’ve never put something so large inside me before. I think I’m going to need a little help along the way. A strong and handsome man who can guide me step by step… I won’t be able to ask questions with my hands full.”_

“Well you’ve got one of those right here,” Sett smirked, “Don’t you worry bunny. Let’s set the stage for a little show, shall we?”

By ‘set the stage’ he meant find a position where he could see all of Aphelios, face to ass, without needing for him to take his eyes off Sett and the camera. He directed Aphelios to lean against the headboard and prop his hips up with pillows, all the while making comments about Aphelios’ scandalous state of partial undress.

“Well _I don’t think this is very fair,”_ Aphelios told him, “ _That you have all your clothes on and I don’t.”_

“Yeah, what was I thinking,” Sett agreed, “Sorry about that. Let’s even things up, shall we?”

He stripped off his shirt revealing that glorious chest – those pecs that Aphelios once had the privilege of using as pillows, those tight stomach muscles, those gorgeous abs… Aphelios gave a little shiver as he lay in that revealing pose, only covered by the fluffy hoodie and its floppy rabbit ears. Yet now they were asymmetrically naked. Sett was showing off his top half and he his bottom… ah well, that had to change. He took the hoodie off to reveal nothing underneath.

 _“We’re uneven again,”_ he teased.

Sett rolled his eyes with a mock huff.

“Such a demanding bunny tonight,” he complained, still grinning, “Alright then. Get an eyeful why don’t you.”

As if he wasn’t doing exactly the same thing right now. Aphelios felt no guilt in watching him peel off his shorts as Sett so blatantly devoured him with his gaze. Once they were both naked, Aphelios moved the lube he’d fetched a little closer and made sure the vibrator was still visible on camera. He moved his knees together in a display of mock-shyness, knowing it would only add fuel to the fire that was Sett’s lust.

_“Tell me what to do Boss, please.”_

That was it.

He’d used the magic B-word.

Sett sat up a little straighter, his gaze darkening, his grin widening to show pointed teeth.

“Oh, you better do what the Boss tells you tonight, because I’ve got the button to make you scream.”

 **“** _Yes, Boss. I promise._ _I’ll be on my best behaviour, **”**_ Aphelios replied, his expression momentarily devious before he went back to acting cute.

“I know you will,” Sett stated, “So less chattering and more touching yourself. Show me how much you want that rod inside of you and maybe, maybe I’ll let you have it by the end of the night.”

He said no talking, so Aphelios had to comply. He gently wet his fingers, letting the tip of his tongue gently trace his fingertips just like it had once traced a certain part of Sett’s anatomy. He kept his gaze firmly fixed on the camera as he lavished attention to each finger in return, occasionally sucking one down to the knuckle, leaving it glistening wet. Sett’s breath hitched with every provocative movement of his tongue; he could hear it through the microphone of his headset. He kept on licking his digits until Sett growled:

“No more of that, get on it with bunny,”

Clearly, he found the sight too much to endure. Was he remembering how it had felt when Aphelios had teased him with his mouth? He hoped so. Yet, he was a very obedient bunny so he lowered his damp fingers to his chest, tracing a long line of purple tattoo before reaching one of his nipples – already hardened by the chill of being undressed like this. His breath stuttered as he fondled himself – he’d read somewhere that not everyone enjoyed having their nipples played with like this. He couldn’t imagine why. He was so sensitive here once aroused it was like a direct source of pleasure, coursing through his veins. He let out a little gasp as he pinched down, revelling in the slight edge of pain to the motion.

“Good,” Sett murmured, voice deep with desire, “And the other one.”

Aphelios’ hips squirmed as he splayed his hands across his chest, massaging himself, pain on one side and pleasure on the other as he rubbed and tweaked, or palmed and rolled.

“Show me where else it feels good,” Sett ordered, “But no touching your cock until I say so.”

Aphelios let out a little whine, trying to let Sett know how cruel he was being. Yet, as always, the Boss was unyielding. So instead, he kept one hand upon his chest and allowed the other to roam the places he knew made his skin tingle and thighs tremble.

“Look at you,” Sett purred, as Aphelios rubbed small circles into that patch of skin on his side that made him quiver with the sensation.

“My gorgeous little lover. My wonderful, no, my **perfect** Aphelios. So beautiful, laid out before me, like a work of art. Begging to be admired. Begging to be touched. Begging to be claimed, loved, owned… but he’ll never need to beg again. ‘Cause he’s all mine.”

“S-Sett!”

His words were like a spell over Aphelios’ senses. He could feel his blood rushing south as his heart raced and he began to tremble once more. Arousal turned Sett’s voice into pure sex. He knew what power it held over Aphelios by now and used it to its full extent. Deep, husky and possessive, he could probably talk Aphelios to climax if he tried. Right now, though, he seemed content to drag out Aphelios’ own voice and melt his inhibitions like butter.

“And there it is,” Sett narrated, his breathing growing heavier as he began to touch himself, “That beautiful voice. And no one’s ever going to hear it the way I do.”

“Sett!”

Aphelios’ thighs shook as he caressed the sensitive skin there. He so desperately wanted to touch his cock as it brushed against his stomach. He was so hard that it would surely only take a few touches to earn the release he deserved.

“What was that?” Sett asked, his voice becoming a little sterner, “What did you just call me?”

Aphelios immediately realised his mistake.

“B-Boss!”

Sett let out a long loud groan. It occurred to Aphelios, briefly, that he’d never actually said Sett’s self-appointed title out loud before. No wonder he’d had such a reaction.

“Boss!” he tried again, with no stammer this time, “Boss please!”

“What do you want bunny?” Sett demanded. Aphelios let out a little moan as he accidentally brushed one hand against his erection as he attempted to trace the lines of his tattoos once more.

“More,” he gasped, “More, Boss. Boss please!”

He raised his hips, bringing his knees up, spreading them, and holding onto his thighs in a display he knew Sett would not be able to ignore. Usually, when he fingered himself on camera, he did it with his back to the screen but now…oh, what a revealing angle this was! How could Sett resist this?

He couldn’t.

“Fuck…” Sett cursed, long and slow like a sigh, “Oh fuck… why am I wasting my time on this godforsaken tour when I could be pounding into you like rest of the world doesn’t exist.”

Aphelios didn’t care that he’d dropped character. He’d got exactly the reaction he wanted.

“Boss please… I need… inside.”

“I know, I know,” Sett assured him, sounding frankly overwhelmed but very pleased with this turn of events.

“Start with just the one finger, and no touching your cock remember.”

Aphelios barely needed to move to grab the lube. He dribbled the fluid over his fingers before pressing one hand between his thighs, trying his very hardest not to obey and not touch his cock. Feeling the first digit sink inside of him, he let out a little whimper. It wasn’t enough. How could one finger ever be enough when he could see Sett on screen right now and sheer size of him? He thrust the finger in and out, looking imploringly at the screen until Sett gave in and said:

“Another.”

Two was better. He could stretch himself a little wider, reach a little further, make himself giddy with the sensation of being that bit fuller. Yet soon, even as his hips moved back against his probing fingers, even two was enough.

“Another.”

Moaning loudly, Aphelios stretched himself wide enough for Sett to groan at the sight of his abused hole. Aphelios tried to reach further, raising his hips and wobbling atop the stage of cushions he’d created. From the other angle he could reach that place, the place that made him scream, but not like this, why couldn’t he find it?

“Get the toy.”

For a moment, Aphelios couldn’t work out what he was talking about. Then he remembered the eight inches of rod that lay on the bed beside him. That, that would undoubtedly reach wherever he wanted! He picked it up, showing to the camera before lowering in between his legs.

“You’re going to need lube,” Sett reminded him. Too caught up the moment, Aphelios frowned at him before fetching the bottle once more. Once the vibrator was sufficiently covered, Sett nodded and allowed him to guide it back to his entrance.

“Go slowly,” Sett told him, “Careful now. This is much bigger than a finger.”

It was indeed. The mere press of it against his hole sent shivered down Aphelios’ spine. He used two wet fingers to pry himself open before slowly, ever so slowly, pressing the cool head of the rod into himself.

“How does it feel?” Sett asked after Aphelios had managed to slide the first inch or so into his trembling body.

“Big,” Aphelios gasped, “Hard. Smooth.”

It was very easy to push inside of him at first. The silicone was so smooth that, even as his ass clenched and unclenched, it was hard to resist the slow entry into his insides. It was so much bigger than a finger, and so much heavier, a solid weight that demanded his attention as it parted his insides like an arm through a sleeve.

“Deep,” he moaned, as the toy reached further than his fingers could possibly go, “Sett…Sett, so deep.”

“Move it like your fingers,” Sett ordered, “Thrust it a little, how does it feel?”

“Oh,” Aphelios managed as he felt the smooth glide of the toy leaving him. Then, with a little more speed than he intended, he thrust it back inside, reach even further than before. He let out an ‘ah’ like someone had just punched him on the inside but somehow, oh god somehow it felt even better than he’d imagined.

He kept on going. Thrusting the toy with the occasional squelch from the large amount of lube he’d used. The slightest bit of friction, the feeling of being spread open again and again, the occasional drag against that place… it was all becoming far too much. He thrust the toy as far as it could go, the flared base resting between his cheeks as he moaned and writhed in plain view for Sett to see. Hips gyrating, he felt the solid mass within him like an immovable core, jostling his insides, producing sparks of pleasure that danced along his spine. His eyes slid closed, unable to look at the screen as he ground against the toy in his ass.

“Sett…” he moaned, unable to say much else in the face of such sensation, “Boss… it’s inside. All of it. Inside.”

“Well done bunny,” Sett replied, his breathing extremely haggard now, “You’re doing so fucking well. How is it?”

“So good,” Aphelios murmured, “So full.”

He heard something like a click. If he’d been in any right frame of mind, he might have recognised it as the unlocking of a phone screen.

“How about this?”

Aphelios gave a little cry of shock as suddenly the toy started to move inside of him. Yet the feeling of surprise was quickly overcome by staccato bursts of pleasure as the slight vibrations jostled against his insides.

“Yes!” Aphelios managed, “Boss yes…”

“What about this?”

Aphelios gave a high-pitched moan as the buzzing suddenly intensified. He scrabbled for the base of the toy, thrusting it the best he could but as Sett silently turned it up even further, he was forced to let go and ride the sensation as he shook from head to toe. The vibrator had shifted inside of him, the solid mass pressing up against that place that made him scream and…

“Let’s just set it to…”

“SETT!”

Aphelios couldn’t stop himself from yelling as loud as his lungs would allow. The buzzing inside of him had reached a frenzy, and it was banging against his most sensitive regions, bombarding him with wave after wave of blinding pleasure that had his hips thrusting madly against the toy, jogging it inside him.

“Too much!” he cried, “Sett…please… it’s too much! TURN…Turn it down! Please! I’m-I’M… I CAN’T. SETT. SETT. OH PLEASE SETT I…”

He spurted all over himself, coming harder than he’d ever done in his life as Sett showed him mercy. He screamed until his throat ran dry and his voice turned hoarse. His hips still moved, his legs still twitched, as he felt the sounds of his boyfriend’s own orgasm coursing through his headphone. His hole was clenching madly around the toy, reminding him not only of its presence but that Sett had seen every moment of his orgasm as he furiously chased his own. He just about managed to slide the toy out, gasping and moaning all the while at the slick friction against his very sensitive insides. It fell on the bed. Leaving Aphelios’ ass to clench around nothing as he loudly rode off the last of the most staggering orgasm he’d ever felt.

“That…” Sett gasped, laying back and also not bothering to wipe himself clean just yet, “That…”

He couldn’t seem to manage anything more. All turned quiet except for the exchange of shallow breaths until…

THUD. THUD.

A very loud knock at his very ajar door.

Aphelios jerked upright, knocking the vibrator to the floor with a clatter.

“I’m SO glad you’re speaking Brother, but can you please make your boyfriend come already so I can SLEEP.”

Aphelios’s eyes widened, humiliation quickly searing through the post-orgasmic bliss.

Ah…fuck.


	9. Buses and Coaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst waiting for Domination's arrival, Uninhibited plan the next direction they wish to take their music in. 
> 
> However, what promises to be a fun weekend of reunions and parties, swiftly turns sour when Alune meets someone she'd rather not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings for this Chapter!
> 
> We have the first Uninhibited member backstory this chapter, and it comes with these trigger warnings:  
> Child Abuse, Violence, Religious Indoctrination, Vehicle Accidents, Fire, Gun Violence, Severe Injury, Trauma. 
> 
> In case you're wondering if you'll get to see what Sett and Aphelios got up to after the POV shift in this chapter - that will be next time!

“I received the most amusing series of texts from your sister last week,” Vladimir commented as he led Aphelios into one of his many living rooms. Aphelios rolled his eyes as he sat down in his usual armchair. As he took in the usual assortment of laptops, notebook and drinks spread over the coffee table, he decided he wasn’t going to be scolded for shameless sexual behaviour by Vladimir of all people. The fact that Alune had decided to tell on him was embarrassing enough. He wasn’t going to let himself be humiliated further. He had apologised for forgetting to close the door and that should have been it. Why did this warrant further discussion? Why did Alune feel the need to share this with his bandmate? He rarely disagreed with her. It was hard to ignore the stabbing guilt whenever he even considered doing so. However, if she truly wanted him to be happy then she had no right to try and dictate what he did in private. He hated disagreeing but this time he was putting his foot down. She had an aspect of her life she didn’t share with him – her time spent at university. He was allowed to have an aspect of his life that he didn’t share with her – mostly Sett.

 _“I explained, I apologised, that should be it,”_ Aphelios told him _“When you sent me the toy, she said she didn’t care what I get up to. It’s my sex life after all and I don’t see why she needs to talk about it.”_

“Quite understandable,” Vladimir agreed, also taking a seat, “Just wanted to let you know she had. It was at three in the morning, so she was likely just reeling in shock. However, I don’t think she considered the full ramifications of the matter. You weren’t the only one benefitting from Domination’s weekly hotel room bookings.”

That made sense. Considering every member of Domination was stuck in their bus otherwise, there was little Swain and Vladimir could get up to either.

 _“They’re on their way back, aren’t they?”_ Aphelios asked, “ _Their tour is over.”_

“Yes, thank goodness,” Vladimir replied, “They were all going stir crazy cooped up in there. Swain and I decided to invite them all over for the weekend. You know, so they can relax and let off some steam. The place is big enough that they don’t have to look at each other if they don’t want to.”

Considering it was Friday…

“ _They’re coming tomorrow?”_ Aphelios asked, his heart suddenly leaping. Tomorrow was Sett’s birthday! Would he be back in time for that?

“Yes,” Vladimir said with a smile, clearly spotting Aphelios’ enthusiasm, “Arriving around noon, departing Monday morning to wherever they may live.”

 _“We’ll need a birthday cake for Sett,”_ Aphelios insisted, _“If he’s having his birthday here and not at home.”_

Vladimir pulled out his phone.

“Ah, I didn’t know it was his birthday. I’ll have something prepared. If you let me know what kind of foods he likes, I’ll inform the kitchens.”

Aphelios did his best to remember every time Sett had mentioned food. He was a man was relatively simple tastes. A man after Aphelios’ own heart, he wasn’t into the weird fancy showy foods that Vladimir and Ezreal brought to their parties. Food was meant to fill you up, not evaporate as soon as you touched it. Sett did look like a man however, who’d appreciate a fancy steak. He didn’t doubt that Vladimir had plenty of fancy meat around, or at least a direct line to a local butcher. 

“ _Alune has lectures today,”_ he mentioned as they finished their meal-planning and moved onto the reason they’d met up today.

“ _But she’s heading here tomorrow morning. It sounds like she’ll get here before Domination does.”_

She was a little bummed out about missing their next band meeting. Aphelios had assured her he was able to stand up for himself if needs be. As far as he knew this was going to be an ideas meeting, not an occasion to sign up on anything concrete. After the rush of getting ready for True Damage, they weren’t going to do anything that stressful that quickly ever again. Despite her absence, Alune was going to make her presence known on this meeting-to-be. It turned out the reason she kept fiddling with her phone all the way through his practice session with True Damage, was that she’d been recording everything. Everything. Not just the singing. The version she’d then sent to Ezreal and Vladimir had been greatly edited – to minimise ‘waffle’ as Alune had told them. However, Aphelios knew better. Alune had cut out all of their discussion about Ezreal, any comments that could be about Vladimir, but left in Senna’s less than encouraging description about Uninhibited’s short shelf life. It was no doubt this that Vladimir had invited them to talk about today. Well, if Ezreal would hurry himself up and get here.

“She might get here before Ezreal at this rate,” Vladimir complained, “What is he doing? Polishing his True Damage Funko Pops?”

Aphelios was fairly sure he was stuck in traffic, but that did remind him of something.

 _“How are you doing?”_ he asked, “ _We haven’t really spoken since the concert. Are you doing better now it’s all over?”_

Vladimir leaned back, flicking some hair away from his face.

“I’m fine thank you,” he replied, “I am indeed doing better since we’re rid of them. I took some time to consider my behaviour, had a long talk as soon as Swain had a hotel room to have that talk in… we worked together to produce an apology for my behaviour at the concert. He’s a political advisor so he has experience in crafting an appearance of sincerity.”

Aphelios was very impressed until that final sentence. An appearance of sincerity didn’t exactly sound very sincere. At least Vladimir had made some sort of effort.

“As it stood, I couldn’t have them heading into an interview,” Vladimir explained, “And being asked what it was like to work with Uninhibited. They would give us such a negative review, so, I patched things up where I could.”

“ _You still don’t like them though,”_ Aphelios commented. This made more sense now. He’d apologised for the sake of bad press, not because he meant it.

“I abhor them,” Vladimir stated, “Especially after that recording your sister sent us. They claim to be so virtuous with their charities and their expressing unheard voices, but their arrogance is frankly disgusting. ‘Shitty manufactured pop indeed’!”

Aphelios decided not to press the topic in case Vladimir worked himself up into a fury. However, it was hard not to think about True Damage again when Ezreal turned up wearing a True Damage X Guardian Angel Project t-shirt. He waltzed in, holding a half-empty cup of Starbucks iced coffee, looking a little out of breath.

“Sorry I’m late – M25 was a nightmare! Did I miss anything?”

 _“Don’t worry. We were waiting for you,”_ Aphelios told him as he plonked himself down on a sofa.

“Cool-cool,” Ezreal slipped off his shoes and curled up on the sofa, “Did you guys listen to that thing Alune put in the group chat?”

“ _I was there to hear it live_ , _but yes_ ” Aphelios replied as Vladimir let out a loud huff of displeasure.

“I’m interested to hear your take on it,” Vladimir stated, “Not exactly a shining example of benevolence from True Damage, is it?

Ezreal pulled a face and drank a bit of his coffee.

“They were kind of harsh,” he stated, “I mean, they’re nice enough to us as people but… they really don’t think much of Uninhibited, do they? They went as far as trying to steal Phel from us!”

He gestured at Aphelios with the hand that wasn’t holding his coffee.

“I mean, they’re still really cool,” Ezreal continued, “I still want to hang with them but… they’re total snobs when it comes to our music. Just because we haven’t been going as long as they have. They don’t know we’re not going to end up superstars too!”

“Exactly,” Vladimir agreed, “You two may get on with some of them as people. Yet as a band, they are looking down on us. We haven’t had the time or experience to reach the heights they have, and yet they call us done. They call us ‘shitty manufactured pop’.”

He seemed to hate that phrase most of all. Aphelios didn’t blame him. It even managed to annoy him.

“So, the reason I’ve called us together a day before Domination gets back,” Vladimir stated, steepling his fingers together as if about to declare his master plan, “Is that we need to sit and think about what we’re going to do next as a band. Before we were invited to Rift Fest, we were considering a tour to go with our second album. However, I don’t think it wise to jet off right after that horrible concert, and so soon after Domination gets back. Aphelios and I do want to spend some time with our other halves after all.”

“Yeah I can respect that,” Ezreal replied, “Rift Fest then the concert all just sort of happened didn’t it? We only got one photoshoot in all that time.”

‘Just sort of happened’ summed up the situation very well, Aphelios thought. They hadn’t truly planned to go to either of those, the opportunities had been sprung upon them. Needless to say, all those things, Rift Fest, the photoshoot and the concert, had all been very well received. His social media was inundated with comments and gifs about him singing. However, the last two months had felt like an incredibly long and stressful period of his life. He would dearly like to unwind and spend some time at home, not singing, and with Sett.

“We will go on tour,” Vladimir said, “But we’ll give it at least a few months. Our latest album only came out this year so we don’t exactly need any new material right now either. However, after listening to Alune’s secret recordings, and after our experiences with True Damage, I thought it a good opportunity to consider who we are as a band, what we want people to think of us, and what we are trying to achieve going forwards. What separates us from any other boyband out there?”

There was a moment of quiet as they considered this. What made Uninhibited stand out from any other boyband? What did they have as a group that no other did?

“We’re very aesthetically focused,” Ezreal supplied, “I mean, we model as much as we sing.”

“We’re not the only band that does that,” Vladimir pointed out, “And that’s not exactly a glowing remark on our music. Aside from Track 14, which is one hundred percent Aphelios, our songs are catchy but not particularly…unique.”

That wasn’t very encouraging. Neither was the fact that they couldn’t come up with anything else to say about themselves.

 _“Are you worried we might sound too generic?”_ Aphelios asked, _“Do you believe what Senna said?”_

“It concerns me,” Vladimir admitted, “That we are visually stunning. Yet with the exception of Track 14, it hasn’t been our music that has made headlines. More like our appearances. I want us to be known for both. Every truly iconic artist, however beautiful, has that unique factor to their music that makes them stand out. If they don’t… well, I don’t want to fall under that awful label – we’re talented enough not to be considered ‘manufactured pop.’”

A weird thought made its presence known in Aphelios’ head. If what they were doing was considered shitty manufactured pop. If Senna, and the music world at large, thought of that phrase as an insult… could they prove them wrong? Could they continue to do what they were already doing, combine it with their excellent eye for aesthetics, and make it a good thing? Reclaim the manufactured pop title, make it their own?

 _“What if that was the point?”_ he asked.

Vladimir raised an eyebrow at him whilst Ezreal looked faintly confused.

“ _What if being manufactured pop was the point?”_ Aphelios elaborated, his mind suddenly whirling with seemingly crazy ideas, “ _Alune and I have been watching a lot of movies recently – to catch up on what we missed when we were younger. There’s a lot of films and books about people living in fantasy societies when their thoughts, their ambitions, are manufactured, controlled, by a higher power.”_

“Dystopias!” Ezreal added helpfully.

 _“Yes those,”_ Aphelios agreed, _“Do you remember when we were organising our tracks for Rift Fest? We tried to make them into a story. Why not, instead of making a story out of pre-existing songs, we make songs that create a story? And the manufactured pop adds to the world we’re building. The manufactured nature is part of the point – it won’t be an insult anymore, it’s part of our creativity. We can reclaim that label.”_

Vladimir clapped his hands together, looking amazed.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, “Yes! We take their insults and throw them back in their face! We ride their dismissals into something spectacular. Aphelios you’re a genius!”

Aphelios wasn’t done giving ideas yet.

 _“I do think, however, that we can insert a little of ourselves into our story,”_ he continued, _“Senna was right about one thing – people do appreciate genuine emotion in a song. Whilst we don’t have to pour our entire selves into this story, perhaps we can create characters that share an issue we do? Characters that we can relate to with emotions we can channel as we sing. That will also help me use my voice.”_

“Ooh, let’s make ourselves characters!” Ezreal replied excitedly, “And we can work on them over the next few months, and whilst we tour, so we can get a good understanding of what to bring to a song! We should probably agree on a setting though, before we run off in completely different directions.”

Aphelios didn’t mean they should do this now. It was just a random idea he’d had. However, if they really wanted to, he wasn’t going to say no.

“We’re playing around the manufactured thought idea,” Vladimir mused, “So we’re going to want a dystopia like you said. However, our music is pop, we use electric instruments and computerised sound effects…”

“Sci-fi?” Ezreal suggested, “How about scifi…but also noir! Like scifi detectives in space!”

“I think space might be a bit ambitious as a setting,” Vladimir replied, “We should probably keep to a small setting if we only have three characters.”

 _“A city,”_ Aphelios suggested, _“To add to the manufactured feeling. And for the electric feeling too. A city with lots of lights and things like that.”_

“Cyberpunk!” Ezreal exclaimed gleefully, “Let’s be cyberpunk!”

He pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen for a moment

“According to Wikipedia, Cyberpunk is **“a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of low-life and high tech"… featuring advanced technological and scientific achievements… juxtaposed with a degree of breakdown or radical change in the social order!”** Doesn’t that fit in with our name? We’re Uninhibited! What if people in this dystopic cyberpunk city started losing the inhibitions that held them back and started to change society! That would be so cool!”

Vladimir sat up a little straighter before bending down to pick his laptop off the table.

“Do you know what truly makes a song go viral?” he asked his bandmates. Aphelios stared at him, not sure where he was going with this.

“What?” asked Ezreal.

“Spectacular animation,” Vladimir replied, “If we’re creating a whole world to go along with our music, then we must have our music videos animated. It’s more expensive yes, but there really isn’t another medium that portrays a stylistic fantasy setting quite so well.”

Ezreal looked like he was going to explode with excitement.

“We can have our characters animated!” he gasped, clapping his hands to his face, “We can make it look so cool! I’m so up for paying for that! We can then cosplay our animated characters!”

“Good,” said Vladimir, “But before we get ahead of ourselves, we actually have to make the characters our songs are going to be about. From there we can consider the world at large.”

 _“And we should each instil something personal into that character, so we can channel it whilst we sing,”_ Aphelios added.

“Yes,” Vladimir agreed, “And we should start with a publicly known base for each character before we go off, develop them, and get attached. We don’t want to get into a fight over who gets to be what.”

“I want to be a detective!” Ezreal exclaimed, putting his hand up like an eager school child, “I want to be a cyberpunk detective. Ooh, the detective could be like a narrator! Investigating the story on behalf of the listener – a window into the world!”

“That’s a surprisingly sensible idea,” Vladimir told him, “Congratulations.”

“Thank you!” Ezreal replied back, bouncing a little in his chair. He was already making notes on his phone.

“Personally,” Vladimir continued, “When I think of cyberpunk, I think of AI or experimental science gone too far in enhancing or dooming humanity. I think I would like to be the one experimenting with the fabric of human existence – a scientist of sorts, tipping the boundaries between organic life and machinery, perhaps even chasing after immortality. Also, my character would have incredibly questionable morals.”

Somehow Aphelios wasn’t surprised by that.

“What if your character caused the inciting incident, that led to my character’s investigation?” suggested Ezreal, “Or at least be one of many mysterious factors in the citywide sprawling equation! Perhaps one of his experiments went wrong. Perhaps he made something that escaped. Maybe he created something new entirely!”

Now Aphelios had an idea. If they were going to add something a touch personal to their characters, then how about this?

He raised his hand slightly to grab their attention, before saying:

_“My character can be the creation. A robot perhaps, or an android, that blurs the lines between human and machine. They were created for a very specific purpose, and obeyed that purpose unquestioningly for many years. But then something happened, or maybe someone happened, and they were exposed to a world far beyond everything they believed in. Perhaps they learned to love? Whatever happened, they’re now loose in the city.”_

“I. Love. It.” exclaimed Ezreal, “A robot who learned to love, fans will adore that so much! We’ve got to make your robot super cute!”

“Let’s design them ourselves,” Vladimir insisted, “But yes, I too like that idea.”

They discussed story ideas until dinner time, spinning off wilder and wilder ideas that had decreasingly little to do with making songs. They all made notes as they talked, be it on their phone or in a notepad. This excitement lasted until dinner, after which Ezreal demanded they had another ‘social media binge’ about their recent performances. Due to the fact that True Damage had livestreamed their concert, there were tons of clips of Aphelios singing online. People were drawing fanart of them dressed in their concert outfits, much to Vladimir’s chagrin. Yet the reaction had been overwhelmingly positive. Especially to Aphelios’ singing, which still served to drive his fans wild. It had caused a lot of speculation as to whether he’d be singing for the band again. They hadn’t given their fans any answers, though Aphelios certainly intended to try give his voice to the concept album.

Much to Aphelios’ anxiety, he found more suggestions that he should be the lead singer of Uninhibited rather than Vladimir. He didn’t want to think about that too much. He had suggested, without mentioning their names, that they should follow True Damage’s example in their next album. They would all display what they did best, singing both separately and together in their own assigned parts of the songs. Both he and Vladimir could sing, Ezreal too, if he felt like it. Vladimir could still be in charge. But they didn’t necessarily need a lead singer anymore. If True Damage could have multiple performers all doing their own things, so could they.

Nevertheless, he went to bed feeling jittery. Excitement for what and who was coming tomorrow mixed in with the general discomfort that came with a changing of his job. He tried not to let the anxiety overwhelm him this time as he texted back and forth with Sett, letting him know what Uninhibited had talked about today, and how much he was looking forward to seeing him in person tomorrow. Nothing was going to significantly change for a while yet. As they had agreed, the concept album was just something to think about for now, whilst they took a few month’s break from performing and throughout the tour after. He tried his best to focus on the positives. Sett would be here tomorrow after all. Also, Alune would appear in the morning, and everything felt a bit safer as soon as she was around.

Breakfast came and went, and suddenly Vladimir’s house was a hive of activity. Alune arrived just as dozens of staff descended on every room in the manor – cleaning, sweeping, polishing and vacuuming. Armies of people bearing fresh linen walked the corridors as a guest room was made up for every member of Domination. The entry hall was polished until it was gleaming, the water cascading past the framed paining of Vladimir had never looked so clean. The water in both swimming pools was freshly sanitised, leaving the smell of chlorine wafting through parts of the house. Aphelios discovered the house had its own sauna when he saw a couple of men walk into the garden with a crate full of freshly cut logs and large stones. A series of vans, each from a different seller of produce, arrived out the front of the house. There was indeed a van belonging to a butcher, just like Aphelios anticipated. However, there were also multiple greengrocers, a baker, a wine merchant, a fishmonger and what just seemed to be a normal Waitrose delivery truck bringing things like toilet paper and tea bags. So they weren’t freaked out by the sheer amount of noise and people trampling through the house, Vladimir took Aphelios, Alune and Ezreal to another part of the mansion that they hadn’t known existed. Far out in the gardens stood a Victorian style glass-house, framed in green painted steel with ornate stained-glass frames on the door and roof. Inside was a jungle of exotic plants and enormous flowers – each undoubtedly the home of entire swarms of butterflies.

“Swain’s mother used to raise fruiting plants in here,” Vladimir explained, “However he didn’t want any trace of her left when he inherited the place. As I was tasked with the redecoration, I turned it into my own private lepidopterarium.”

“Your what?” Alune asked.

“Butterfly house,” Vladimir stated, “This is where I keep butterflies.”

The revelation that Vladimir kept butterflies wasn’t quite enough to surpass Aphelios’ mounting excitement. Every hour that passed was one closer to Domination’s arrival, one closer to finally seeing Sett again. He had loved their conversations over the last two months, but they weren’t the same as seeing him in person. He wondered if Vladimir was feeling the same as he spoke in great length about the many rare and beautiful breeds he had in the oversized conservatory. When they returned inside, and most of the chaos had died down, Vladimir insisted that he had to go change for Domination’s arrival. This made Aphelios look at his own clothes and wonder – was he wearing the correct outfit for such an occasion? He was wearing a casual collection of jeans, sneakers and a roll-neck sweater. Was that really the impression he wanted to make on his boyfriend’s birthday? He hadn’t brought any formal wear with him. So dressing up wasn’t really an option. Should he at least put something a bit more impressive on underneath? Sett had promised him after all. The first time they met again after Rift Fest, and they were both sober… He’d reminded him of that promise over the phone. It was definitely going to happen. Perhaps he should put something under the sweater and jeans to make himself look more appealing? So, once Vladimir returned looking frankly stunning, and with only ten minutes to go to until Domination’s arrival, Aphelios decided to excuse himself and go upstairs.

He hastened back to the suite he shared with Alune and dove into his suitcase. He needed to find something more appealing, but it had to fit under his regular clothes. The problem was, pretty much all his underwear was distinctly unappealing. Well, Sett could make a pair of boxers look good, but him…probably not so much. Ideally, he’d have some sort of lacey or risqué piece of lingerie underneath his jeans, at least a cute pair of briefs, but no… He didn’t really own anything like that. The only time he did have his hands on anything sexy was when he was in a photoshoot.

Wait…

He picked up his phone and sent a text to Vladimir.

**Do you keep the outfits we use for photoshoots?**

Vladimir got back to him surprisingly quickly, considering Domination must be here by now.

**Yes, second floor dressing room, wardrobe on the far right with three doors. It should be unlocked, rails are labelled by wearer.**

He didn’t even question why Aphelios wanted to know, for which Aphelios was grateful.

**Thank you.**

He got slightly lost on the way there but eventually found what Vladimir described as a dressing room. It had probably once been a guest bedroom – there was still a bed covered in a thick cream cloth. However, when he opened one door of the mentioned ‘wardrobe’, he didn’t find the dark cubby of storage space he’d been expecting. No, this was another of Vladimir’s seemingly-many walk-in wardrobes. You could fit another bedroom, or at least an ensuite, in there! The lights inside automatically turned on as soon as he opened the door, revealing a pristine space in which every surface was a blindingly-bright white. White walls, white ceiling, white tiles on the floor. There were full length standing mirrors stationed throughout the room beside three long rails that extended horizontally across the room. They were indeed labelled as Vladimir had said. The frontmost one was Aphelios’, the middle one Vladimir’s, the furthest belonged to Ezreal. As Aphelios stepped inside, marvelling at how many clothes they must have got through over the years, he realised that every rail was sorted not by shoot, but by colour. Across the room spanned a very selective rainbow of hues – a predominance of purple on his own, red for Vladimir and blue for Ezreal. He spotted their sweet-themed outfits immediately, being the most fantastical out of the lot. However, he couldn’t help but gravitate to the less bulky side of the rails – where the clothing was predominately black. The lingerie he’d worn for their last shoot had to be in there somewhere. It was a bit purple, but mostly black.

He started to rummage past waistcoats and trousers, jackets and shorts, looking for the item. However, no sooner did he wonder if it was better to look in purple, then his hand brushed against something incredibly soft. Gravitating towards the lovely texture, Aphelios felt for the garment and swiftly found it along with a selection of clear plastic bags, kept on the same hanger. He took it out and almost dropped it as he realised what exactly he was looking at.

It was _that._

That bunny outfit.

The one he’d worn in his first ever risqué shoot. The one he’d been so angry about that he’d gone and researched sexual poses. And then completely humbled Vladimir and Ezreal with his new photoshoot prowess.

It was also the outfit he was wearing in the photos Sett had. Sett had bought an A3 print of perhaps his most risqué photos of all and had him sign it at Rift Fest. He’d also bought the entire artbook – the entire glossy photo collection of Aphelios in exactly this outfit. The item he’d felt was the black bodysuit. The exterior had a soft velvet-like texture – shaped like a lady’s bathing costume it had a v shaped bottom with two leg holes, but no sleeves or straps up top. The chest had to be covered by sheer force of will alone, or body tape, as they had used in the shoot. In the little bags attached to the hanger were the rest of the outfit – the black waist corset, the white cuffs and collar, the fishnet tights and of course the bunny ears and pompom tail. Aphelios stared at them long and hard. He could probably fit everything but the tail under his current clothing – which was quite baggy. He could put the ears and tail in his room for later.

But did he dare?

Did he dare dress up in the outfit he knew his boyfriend lusted after so much?

It would certainly be a birthday treat for Sett.

However…

Could he go downstairs knowing that this was under his clothing and act normally? Could he feel that against his skin and somehow act like there was nothing afoot? Would he just end up anxious about it all afternoon? Someone might spot it. He wouldn’t put it past Vladimir to realise what he’d done – especially if he was wearing a corset. Could he really sit amongst Domination, and his sister, secretly dressed like Sett’s ultimate fantasy? Sett would enjoy it. But if his bandmates caught him, he’d never live it down!

He should at least try it on to see if it still fit. There was no point agonising over it only to find his plan foiled from the start. But still… He found himself paralysed by indecision. Could he do this? Could he put the outfit back on, try and conceal it, and then go back to the others? It would be sensible just to get change later, but that would ruin the magic. If you could consider hiding sexy clothing under your normal clothing magic...

Ah, he just didn’t know!

* * *

Alune wasn’t sure what was taking him so long.

Her brother had been rather nervous since she’d arrived this morning. He’d run out to greet her as she left the taxi. Yet even after they’d reunited, he’d been in odd, almost twitchy, mood. One cause for the nerves was obvious. Aphelios was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his boyfriend when the rock band, Domination, showed up. It was weird, really weird in fact, to think of anyone as Aphelios’ boyfriend. It was strange to even think of Aphelios having a boyfriend. He’d gone the first twenty-three years of his life barely having friends. Alune hadn’t even known he’d met Ezreal at school before this band business happened. It had always been the pair of them, two twins, us against the world. Until Uninhibited happened, there had barely been anyone else to consider a friend – unless you counted the occasional visits from Yuumi. Yet Uninhibited had changed everything. Aphelios, being the kind and selfless soul he was, was paying to put her through university. She now had friends there, friends she could hang out with and talk to whilst he was working. Aphelios now had Vladimir and Ezreal – no matter how shaky their start she knew he considered them both his best friends. However, a boyfriend… a boyfriend! At times she could barely believe it. Aphelios, who so struggled to believe in his self-worth, was brave enough to try a relationship! And not just any relationship, one with the social media hunk he’d been dreaming about. The social media hunk who turned out to be a famous rockstar – who would’ve thought!

Of course, she was proud. Even though her brother’s libido seemed to have skyrocketed and he’d forgotten to close the door that one time, she was proud. Aphelios was getting to explore so much he’d never been able to when he was younger. He was discovering himself and the world around him in a new light and…that was just a part of growing up wasn’t it? She wasn’t sure Vladimir was the right instructor or enabler for that, but Aphelios was a big boy now and could put what he wanted, where he wanted. Alune tried not to think about that too much. At the moment, as the members of Uninhibited waited in the hallway for Domination to arrive, she was wondering where on earth Aphelios had got up to. He’d gone to get changed about fifteen minutes ago. Had he got lost in Vladimir’s house?

“He’s looking through some of our old photoshoot outfits,” Vladimir told her when she expressed this concern, “Perhaps looking for something a big flashier for his boyfriend’s birthday.”

Well that explained it, but he should hurry up. According to the updates Vladimir was getting, Domination were about five minutes away. Apparently, the traffic on the M25 was still awful, delaying everyone involved. When wasn’t the M25 terrible?

“Alune,” Vladimir suddenly addressed her, “Please may I have a word?”

She looked curiously at him as she followed him to one side of the entrance hall. Ezreal, who was on his phone, didn’t seem to notice them going.

“What’s up?” she asked him.

“Something has just occurred to me,” Vladimir stated, “How much has Aphelios told you about Domination?”

Alune couldn’t help but wonder why this was so important he had to take her aside.

“I know they’re a rock band and they’re pretty famous in the rock industry,” she replied, “I know about Sett, and his Instagram. Also, you’re dating their violinist?”

“He has a greater range that just violin,” Vladimir commented quickly, as if that wasn’t important right now, “Hasn’t Aphelios told you about meeting them at Rift Fest? About Diana?”

Alune shook her head. There was a serious expression on Vladimir’s face that she’d never seen before. He looked practically grave. This instantly worried her. What had Aphelios not told her? It was never a good idea when he kept secrets. He usually thought he was doing it for her own protection yet… it tended to bite them both later.

“Ah,” Vladimir proclaimed, “Well…ok.”

He looked over his shoulder.

“Ezreal, get your sequined backside over here! Important talk time!”

Alune observed that Ezreal was indeed wearing sequin patterned trousers as he wandered over.

“Shouldn’t we wait for Phel?” he asked as he joined their side-cluster.

“Phel already knows,” Vladimir told them, “I dislike the fact I’m betraying his trust…but I want everyone to be aware of what might happen.”

He took a deep breath as they both stared at him.

“One of Domination’s guitarists is a lady called Diana,” he stated, “Diana is of the Lunari faith.”

“What?!” Alune exclaimed, jerking instinctively back in her chair. It rattled her chair, but the power chair was strong enough to take the impact.

“Aphelios accidentally met Diana on the first day of Rift Fest,” Vladimir continued, “He bolted at the sight of her and she proceeded to chase him all over the festival. Recognising his tattoos, no doubt. By how out of breath he was when he got back, he must have been chased some considerable distance. When he got back to the bus, he had a panic attack in his bed. I sat with him through it and did my best to help him recover. Since then, I have made it my mission to protect him, and therefore you Alune, from any Lunari that might approach us.”

Alune was shocked. Aphelios had met another Lunari at Rift Fest and not told her? There was a Lunari in the very band his boyfriend belonged to? Not only that, Vladimir had been the one to look after Aphelios during his panic attack?! And now he was trying to protect them? He just didn’t seem the type.

“He encountered Diana again when we had breakfast with Domination the next day,” Vladimir recapped, “I got him out of there and back into our van before he broke down. I also sent Sett in there to look after him. So, Sett is also aware of Aphelios’ reaction to the Lunari. I told him everything I knew back then. I’m sure he’ll continue his role of protector today. I have also recruited Swain to our cause… it took a gentleman’s bargain, but between myself, Sett and Swain, we will do our best to keep Lunari-based hijinks to minimum. However, Diana will be here shortly and I wanted to warn you.”

“I missed so much at Rift Fest,” Ezreal marvelled.

That wasn’t Alune’s first line of thought. A Lunari woman was coming here, would be here soon, and she’d terrified the life out of her brother on multiple occasions? Even without her new taskforce of gallant men, she wouldn’t let her step foot near her brother. She appreciated the warning, but as soon as she saw Diana she wasn’t letting her so much as breathe in Aphelios’ direction.

“Did Aphelios tell you why he was scared?” she asked, her breathing a little more haggard now.

Vladimir shook his head.

“He showed me a scar, so I assume they hurt him,” he replied as Ezreal gasped at this revelation.

“Hurt doesn’t cover it,” she declared, “There’s something you should also know before this Diana arrives.”

“What is it?” asked Vladimir, stepping a little closer as if she was about to give him some sort of secret. He would be disappointed.

“I’m grateful for your consideration, but Phel and I don’t react the same to these things,” Alune told both members of Uninhibited, “When Aphelios is triggered, he runs and hides. When I am triggered, I get absolutely livid.”

They blinked at her in surprise.

“I may not look like a force to be reckoned with,” she continued.

“Oh, we know you’re a force to be reckoned with,” Ezreal assured her. Vladimir nodded emphatically in agreement.

“I may not look it,” Alune insisted, “However there’s over twenty years of repressed rage in this mostly-functioning body. Sometimes I may still feel powerless, but I’m not. And if someone sets me off, woe-betide anyone who gets in my way.”

“Noted,” Vladimir replied, “We will take that into consideration.”

“Does Aphelios know that Diana is going to be here?” Alune asked him.

“I haven’t stated it explicitly,” Vladimir said, “But he should have worked that out by now. That isn’t why he’s still upstairs. He definitely asked me about clothing.”

Clothing didn’t justify how long Aphelios was taking. As they re-took their place in the centre of the hall, they heard the definite sound of wheels on gravel. Domination’s tour bus let out a very musical series of toots as it parked. Vladimir directed for both of the front doors to be opened up by two members of staff, flooding the entrance hall with sunlight. The door to the bus was visible down the ramp. It opened with a hiss of pistons and a little set of silver stairs seemed to unfold automatically from the door to the ground. A lot more high-tech than Uninhibited’s bus that was for sure. She picked up her phone and shot Aphelios a message as she watched a large leather clad man descend from the bus’s entrance. He walked over to the side where he flipped open a storage compartment full of suitcases.

Alune’s phone buzzed at her as several members of manor staff went out to join him.

**I’m fine. Just deciding what to wear. Be down in a bit.**

She narrowed her eyes at Aphelios’ message. She’d never known him to spend this long on choosing clothes! Was this Sett’s fault? Considering this, she watched as the staff carried away Domination’s cases into the depths of the house. The burly man who’d got out to get their cases was now just standing there looking a bit bemused. He wasn’t left alone for long though. Vladimir took a small step forwards as another man descended the stairs out of Domination’s bus. He looked much older than the first, with stern features and immaculately brushed silver hair. She couldn’t help but notice that he was wearing only the one glove – a black leather confection that disappeared up the sleeve of his long coat. He walked with the slightest limp as he strode towards the entrance. Alune was almost certain she’d seen this man before somewhere but truly couldn’t place him. She found the thought quite distracting as a maid hurried up to the man on the ramp, taking his coat. He approached the assembled members of Uninhibited in the entrance hall.

“Welcome home,” Vladimir exclaimed, clearly restraining his eagerness as he clicked his way across the marble entrance hall.

“It’s good to be home,” the man replied as Vladimir met him halfway. There was a moment where the two simply glared at each other, as if challenging the other to make the first mood. Alune glanced at Ezreal.

 _“This house isn’t Vladimir’s?”_ she signed.

 _“Yes, I mean, no, sort of?”_ Ezreal replied, “ _It’s a bit more complicated than that.”_

They watched as the stand-off seemed to meet its climax. Vladimir rocked a little on his heels as their gazes remained fixed on each other’s before…

The man reached out, grabbing Vladimir by the chin and pulled him into a kiss. Vladimir one arm around his shoulders, the opposite hand cupping his face as the kiss became decidedly less chaste.

 _“That’s his boyfriend?!”_ Alune silently exclaimed to Ezreal.

 _“Technically, Sugar Daddy,”_ Ezreal replied.

 _“Sugar Daddy?”_ she repeated in disbelief.

 _“I said it was complicated,”_ Ezreal reasoned, as they waited for Vladimir and his…his sugar daddy to stop doing what they were doing. They didn’t seem to want to.

“Excuse me lovebirds,” exclaimed a familiar voice, “You’re blocking the door.”

Vladimir and the man finally parted as Sett and the other members of Domination appeared, walking up the ramp as a very impressively leather-clad group. The man who’d spoken was undoubtedly Sett. He looked exactly like he’d done in Aphelios’ video call from Rift Fest – not to mention all his photos on Instagram. As he and his band entered the hall and Alune finally got to see him up close, there was one thing she hadn’t prepared for.

When he realised Aphelios was absent, Sett made a beeline for her instead. She noticed he had a small rucksack slung over one shoulder.

“Hey, Alune, isn’t it?”

“Hi!” she replied, “You’re…really tall!”

She’s got the impression that he was big from his photos. Yet, even as she raised her chair to fullest extent there was no hopes of even looking him in the shoulder. Not that he didn’t have a pleasant shoulder. There wasn’t a part of him that wasn’t worth looking at. Aphelios had a very good taste in men but she hadn’t…well, she hadn’t expected him to be so bloody tall!

“Six eleven,” he said with a slight grin, “Camera angles can confuse things I know. Nice to meet ya face to face. Any idea where your bro is?”

Alune smirked as she realised what an excellent opportunity she had.

“Oh, Aphelios has worked himself up into a bit of a dither upstairs,” she replied, “Can’t decide what to wear for you. You should probably go help him before he stays in the wardrobe forever.”

Vladimir, who had detached himself from his Sugar Daddy, evidently heard this.

“Take the stairs, go up to the second floor and turn left. It’s the third door you’ll come across.”

“Thanks,” said Sett said to Vladimir before turning back to Alune, “I’ll go bring him down - clothed.”

“Good luck,” Alune said, giving him a little wave as he wandered off in the direction Vladimir had pointed. As soon as he was out of earshot, Vladimir turned to Alune.

“Give them a few hours,” he smirked.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Please, there’s a scantily clad Phel in a wardrobe upstairs, they’re definitely going to go at it,” Vladimir declared, “Hope they don’t wear themselves out before I give Phel the key to one of the downstairs suites.”

“Downstairs suites?” Alune repeated, “What are you-“

“You don’t want to know!” interrupted Ezreal, “Aphelios is in good hands just…let’s go all entertain the guests, shall we?”

“Of course,” Vladimir agreed, “Join us?”

Despite her reservations, Alune did indeed join them. Aphelios clearly trusted Sett and it wasn’t her business as to what they were doing in that wardrobe. She’d just meant to embarrass her brother slightly by having Sett walk in on him fussing about what to wear. However, if they were going to… you know, then that was fine too!

They all filed into a large lounge Alune recognised from one of Vladimir’s parties. Instead of being filled with sweets, it had been decorated with a tasteful banner proclaiming “WELCOME HOME DOMINATION!” There was already refreshment laid out on two large tables – platters of sandwiches, cakes and other finger food. There were plenty of drinks. A man dressed like a waiter offered everyone a glass of celebratory champagne as they milled beneath the banner. Alune couldn’t help but wonder if it was too early for alcohol, but no one else shared her reservations. There were toasts and clinking glasses all round as Vladimir’s boyfriend proclaimed:

“To another tour completed!”

There was a murmur of ascent as everyone drank. Now the whole band was here, Alune couldn’t help but notice that Domination had some very beautiful women in their numbers. Vladimir was too busy gliding around making toasts to introduce her to anyone. However, Alune was swiftly of the opinion that the ladies far outstripped the men in terms of attractiveness – even if they did have Sett. She wondered if she was supposed to go introduce herself as she watched an immensely well-dressed goth lady fill up a plate full of sandwiches. Fortunately, it didn’t look like she was the only one feeling out of place. Ezreal stuck by her as they waited for a gap in the buffet table to form, looking around as if he too wasn’t sure what to do next. Finishing off her champagne, Alune finally got her chance and assumed her place next to the food. Ezreal close behind, they piled up their plates as she commented:

“If Sett and Phel don’t hurry up, there’s not going to be much left.”

Ezreal merely shrugged.

“If in doubt, I’m sure the chefs can make them something.”

As soon as the food was consumed, the energy level in the room dropped off significantly. Everyone sat down with fresh beverages and picked at their plates, many clearly exhaustedly slumped in their seats. Alune was sure it had been at least an hour and still, no Aphelios. She’d been talking about films with Ezreal, who Phel must have told about their move nights. However even that topic wasn’t enough to distract her from her nagging concerns. Where was her brother?

“I’m going to call him,” she decided aloud. Ezreal looked a little startled.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked, “He might be…”

Too late. She’d already dialled. She propped her phone up in the armrest on her chair and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Certain she was about to put on answerphone, Alune was about to hang up when, finally, the screen lit up with a video feed. Or so she thought – all she could really see was the fabric of a pillow.

“Is... stop it’s…it…is this urgent…?” panted a familiar yet seldom-heard voice. Her heart leapt. Aphelios was speaking! He sounded seriously out of breath but he was speaking. Ezreal meanwhile looked frankly alarmed at the sound.

“No, not really,” Alune answered, “Phel, where are- oh.”

He’d hung up on her.

Aphelios had hung up on her.

Never before, in their entire lives, had Aphelios ever hung up on her. This was a first and she wasn’t sure how to react. She glanced at Ezreal, who was a little pink in the face.

“He hung up,” she stated, her voice full of shock.

“Yeah,” Ezreal agreed awkwardly, “Yeah he did. Best not to-“

He stopped talking very abruptly.

Too busy staring at her phone screen, Alune didn’t immediately notice the reason for his silence. Yet when she looked up, she immediately worked out why he had frozen like a particularly horrified statue. One of the beautiful Domination ladies had just sat down on the sofa opposite theirs. However, she wasn’t just any beautiful Domination lady. The silver circle on her forehead, the tattoos around her arms and wrists… this was Diana. This was the Lunari.

Ezreal was being useless. He was gaping like a fish out of water, clearly unsure what to do with the very situation he’d been warned about. However, Alune didn’t need a guy to fight her battles for her. She wasn’t going anywhere – not just because she’d have to lift herself back into her chair.

“Hi,” she said, keeping her voice level, “Can we help you?”

Diana was clearly taking a good look at her, with great deal of attention paid to the moon disc on her face.

“Hello,” she replied, “You’re a seer, aren’t you?”

Alune frowned at her.

“I’m a second-year university student in Astrophysics,” she told her, “And Aphelios’ personal manager. I’ve graduated past made up titles.”

Diana appeared to consider her for a moment.

“Ah, you’ve given up the faith,” she continued.

Alune’s frown deepened to a scowl. She could feel the anger simmering away inside of her, like a warmth that started in her chest and slowly worked its way outwards, clouding her senses then her mind.

“We escaped the faith,” Alune retorted, “Just as Aphelios had to escape you at Rift Fest, after you chased him.”

Now it was Diana’s turn to frown.

“I didn’t intend to frighten him,” she replied a little haughtily, “I just wanted to ask him what sect he came from – where his faith lay.”

“Then why did you run after him when he was clearly terrified?”

Alune jumped as Vladimir joined them out of nowhere. He leant down on the top of the sofa above Ezreal and Alune.

“I’d had a few beers,” Diana replied, glancing between two thirds of Uninhibited and Alune, “I wasn’t thinking it though. He didn’t have to run though.”

“He did,” Alune replied, “You just don’t understand why.”

Diana leant back in her chair with her arms folded. She was looking distinctly put out now as she saw she was clearly outnumbered and none of her bandmates were paying attention.

“Then make me,” she stated, “All I wanted to do was meet another Lunari. There hasn’t been meet up in years and I was surprised to find another one roaming Rift Fest. Maybe I came at it wrong, but I haven’t warranted such hostility from you or your brother’s band. I asked you a simple question about your faith, I didn’t expect to get chewed out over it.”

“You made him breakdown,” Alune replied through gritted teeth, controlling her temper, “You terrified him so much he couldn’t leave his bus. It was his trip to Rift Fest as much as yours and he hardly got to see any of it.”

“Twice,” Vladimir added, “He had two panic attacks. Though perhaps we could have predicted the second time.”

“How was I supposed to know that?” Diana countered, “Ok, chasing him was a bad move all round, but I was drunk. I’m not responsible-“

“If you were sober enough to pursue someone across the entirety of those fields, through all the crowds, you were sober enough to realise you were scaring the life out of the man,” Vladimir said coldly, “Drunkenness is not an excuse for bad behaviour. Besides, who gets drunk on a few watered down festival beers?”

The lounge was now very quiet. Everyone was staring at them, but Alune didn’t care.

“I just wanted to talk one Lunari to another,” Diana insisted, “That’s hardly a-“

“We are not Lunari!” Alune snapped, her voice suddenly doubling in volume, “if you had the common sense to piece together my reactions and Aphelios’, then you would know not to bring that up!”

“My religion?!” Diana exclaimed, “Our religion? It’s all over your faces! You two are Lunari! It’s-”

“Not anymore!” Alune interrupted, “We escaped! We are free!”

“Escaped?” Diana repeated, her posture growing ever more confrontational as Alune began to shout, “What is there to escape? The Lunari are a peaceful all-welcoming-“

“Shut the fuck up!”

Alune wanted to get off the sofa but she couldn’t. Never had she been more aware of the sheer uselessness that were her legs. Never had she been so reminded as to why they were useless in the first place. Damn her own powerlessness! All she wanted to do was make this woman shut her mouth and then swear never to go near her or her brother again. She had to settle for waving a fist at her and leaning back uselessly against the sofa cushions. Fine. If she couldn’t physically make her point known, she’d just have to use words.

“Get me a drink,” she said to no one in particular, “A strong drink. I have a lot of talking to do.”

Ezreal leapt to his feet and all but sprinted across the room. He returned in a matter of moments with a glass of what looked like Pimms and Lemonade. Not the strongest drink he could’ve found, but it would do. She took a large gulp, revelled in the burn for a moment, before addressing Diana once more.

“You’re a convert, right? You weren’t born Lunari.”

She nodded.

“And you got those tattoos of yours voluntarily?” Alune continued.

“Yes,” said Diana, slowly, as if wondering where she was going with this. Out of the corner of her eye, Alune saw Vladimir slip into a nearby armchair.

“Well we didn’t,” Alune stated, “I at least got the benefit of going under whilst it happened. Phel? He got his when he was fourteen. No choice in the matter. I got home to hear him screaming.”

There was a clatter as Ezreal dropped his phone.

“He’s got them all over!” he exclaimed.

“Yes,” Alune confirmed, “He has.”

She took another swig of her drink. She faintly remembered Aphelios’ comments about her being a lightweight when it came to drink, and then decided she didn’t care. She was mad and she’d drink if she wanted to.

“For everyone else’s sake,” she began, “I should say that the principles of the Lunari faith themselves… they’re nothing insidious or even that questionable. It’s your basic good person shit – treat others how you want to be treated, respect the environment, don’t murder. Except there’s a focus on protecting people. Especially those who are persecuted by a biased or neglectful system of power. They say Mother Moon provides the true light – to illuminate the truths and paths ahead that those in power wish to keep hidden. Being Lunari is about helping others achieve a better quality of life despite the prejudices deep within society.”

She saw Diana nodding and instantly drank more,

“However,” she continued, “Like all faiths, there are people who take their beliefs to fanatical extremes. The Lunari who raised Phel and I were just that - Extremists. They didn’t call themselves that. They called themselves “True Lunari”. But basically, they’re extremists, and Phel and I were born into that.”

She’d never spoken to anyone about this. The police had barely believed her and it wasn’t like she’d ever got a therapist. Now they had the money, they probably could now though.

“To the Extremists who raised us, being Lunari wasn’t about following a set of loose guiding principles. It was about following the Lunari ways, the traditions, the lifestyle, that had been passed down over hundreds of years. They didn’t protect and better the world at large. They only sought to protect and better themselves, believing themselves to be the last bastions of an ancient order that must be preserved. They considered any Lunari who lived ordinary lives to be false or pretenders, as dictated by their holy text.”

She gave a little shudder at the thought of that awful tome, before shooting a question at Diana.

“You’ve heard of the Lunar Visionary, I take it?”

“Of course,” Diana replied, “It’s our holy text – there has only ever been one, as it pre-dates the printing press. Some say it was written by monks, barely survived the burning of the monasteries. It has been passed between generations of devout Lunari Elders who meet at the Solstices and use it to lead out services. Wait… are you saying you lived with the Elders?”

“Yes,” Alune spat, “May they rot in the hell they didn’t believe in.”

Diana looked faintly shocked at her venom.

“I saw the book,” Alune declared, “I read the book. It’s barely legible – the English so old it’s pretty much up to interpretation.”

She drained her glass and handed it to Ezreal. Without a word, he obediently went and got her more.

“The ‘Elders’ of the Lunari, the people who raised us, took this book as the source of truth for all things,” Alune explained, “The book was the defining source of all Lunari traditions and they used it as a moral compass, a guide for every aspect of life. This book pre-dating human rights. It pre-dated child protection laws. Did they think to interpret it for a modern era? No. It was also full of ridiculous mysticism and spirit worship, which is how this all happened and why Phel was forced to suffer so much.”

She traced the circular tattoo on her face with one shaking hand. Her movements were followed by her enraptured audience.

“Our parents were fully indoctrinated Lunari extremists. Had been from birth. Our father died in a hit and run from the Solari, months before we were born. Our mother… well, I’ll get to that. According to the Lunar Visionary, a child born under a Lunar Eclipse is destined to be a seer and great voice to lead the Lunari to a brighter future . Therefore, it was very exciting for when our mother went into labour on the same night as an eclipse and even more so when I was born during that eclipse”

Her every word was filled with a clear disgust.

“So yay, they had a seer. Yet it wasn’t all celebration. According to the Elders, my birth was easy but things got...complicated for Aphelios. Not only was the eclipse pretty much over by the time he was born. But the Elders left to celebrate as soon as I was born. The midwife at the hospital was given the choice between saving our mother or the second baby and well, Aphelios is here and she isn’t. The Elders weren’t pleased. Not sure what to do now with this extra baby who wasn’t their seer, they consulted that fuck-awful book. They decided that Aphelios had caused our mother’s death and… as punishment, for being alive when our mother wasn’t, Aphelios was now a criminal and a bastard.”

“What the fuck,” gasped Ezreal, “Why would you punish a new-born baby?”

Alune shrugged.

“Remember that shitty book was mostly up for interpretation anyway,” Alune stated, “Which makes those Elders even shittier people. They pretty much decided there and then that, as they had their legendary eclipse seer, the other child was pretty much surplus and, the latter should...should…”

Alune paused and took a deep breath. Her hands were still shaking and her expression was set in a furious scowl.

“They decided the bastard should be the servant of the seer… no that he should be the property of the seer,” she stated, her voice filled with rage and hatred, “Do you know what a-a whipping boy is? Like in a historic way?”

“A child whose job it was to take corporal punishment instead of the child of royalty,” Vladimir stated, also sounding disgusted, “They made Aphelios your…?”

“Yes!” Alune exclaimed, her rage mounting once again into a shout, “Anything! Any wrong doing -from talking too loudly to breaking things. From day one, if I did anything wrong, he would be physically punished for it. I was a small child! I didn’t understand for so many years that my bad actions got him hurt! So, I just kept on doing them. And they kept hurting him! If I had realised sooner…if I had understood… at least a bit of the pain would...”

“That isn’t your fault,” stated Vladimir, “The blame lies on the abhorrent people who raised you.”

“I know that!” She yelled at him, before lowering her tone slightly, “I know that but that doesn’t stop anything… that doesn’t mean I don’t have to live with the guilt of all his pain, his suffering… It never stopped. Right up to the moment we escaped, for seventeen years, he was beaten and yelled at and-and tortured whenever they had a problem with anything I did! On top of the punishments he faced for existing, for being a child, for making childish mistakes. And-and do you know what one of the worst thing is?”

She glared at them all until one of them dared answer.

“He still thinks he deserved it,” Vladimir mumbled, “He believed his caretakers that his purpose was to serve you.”

“Yes!” Alune proclaimed, “And I know those thoughts are still there at the back of his mind! Whenever he’s feeling uncomfortable or out of place, he pushes it away and endures, because of me. He puts himself through so much shit because he was raised to believe that everyone else’s happiness is more important than his own. That his suffering doesn’t matter if I’m ok. The Elders… as long as I can remember, they made sure he knew his place. From the start they forced Phel to understand that he-he wasn’t his own person, that he was a tool for the Lunari to use, for me to use, that he existed to serve their seer. Any expression of individuality, even asking for help with something was severely punished and… and what frightens me even more… If we’d been homeschooled like the Elders wanted, we’d never have known any different. We have remained indoctrinated forever. But they couldn’t spare the time, so we got to go to school… Thank fuck.”

She took a shaky breath as she realised, she was crying. One of the other ladies from Domination passed Vladimir a nearby tissue box, who then passed it to her. The entirety of Domination had remained very quiet throughout this, even Diana, but they certainly appeared to be listening.

“If we didn’t,” Alune continued, “I reckon Aphelios would’ve never have learned how to speak properly. He wasn’t allowed to speak around the Elders so...so when we were young, he only ever spoke to me. He mostly learned from me too. But...when we got to go to school, that was when we realised how wrong our lives were. Especially me… being the ‘chosen’ child I was allowed to do things like go to birthday parties or borrow books from the library. We weren’t allowed TV, or radio, and before the library, only books and toys I had were the ones the Elders allowed. We weren’t supposed to have friends but I did, at school. The longer we spent around other children, the more we realised that what we had at home… it wasn’t right.”

She wiped her eyes, sniffling. She was mad at the fact she was crying in front of all these people. However she was so mad at everything right now it was proving hard to compartmentalise the anger.

“I remember, being seven, and trying to talk about it to my infant school teacher. After that, we used the emergency phone in the school hall to call the police and try and tell them what was happening. I knew my address so the police did come. Yet… after the Elders persuaded them it was a prank they...they broke Aphelios’ arm. They blamed him for it even though I confessed. We went to different schools; he couldn’t stop me, but...apparently it was his fault for letting me. After that I was too scared to try the police again...I still have nightmares about that moment. What they did to his arm… They told the hospital he fell down the stairs, and…then didn’t let him have the painkillers the hospital provided, as punishment. We moved house shortly after. We always moved when strangers came into our house. The Elders would say that now the authorities knew us, the Solari would find out too.”

Alune blew her nose loudly.

“Aphelios and I… we were under their complete control until we got to high school. We were still very controlled. But high school gave us more chances to get away from home. They put me in a single-sex school that boarded during the week, releasing me at weekends, so...so I got some freedom compared to Phel. He...he tried his best to stay out as much as possible. He got a scholarship at the mixed private nearby. They gave him free access to all their clubs as part of the scholarship, so he was always doing something before and after school.”

“I remember that,” Ezreal piped in, “He seemed to do everything. Not just choir like I did, but he was really sporty. Football, gymnastics, archery, oh, and he did those self-defence classes at lunch times, and came in for judo in the morning. He was seriously good at P.E., you always wanted to be on his dodgeball team. Admittedly, everyone at school thought he was all quiet and weird...but if you talked smack about the scholarship kids, the teachers would absolutely murder you. I remember he always used to change in the bathrooms rather than the changing rooms… people used to wonder where he got all those bruises from.”

“Well now you know,” Alune replied shakily but with no less anger, “He did everything he could to stay out of the house, especially when I was away and boarding. It was also during high school that Phel and I got access to computers for the first time. As soon as we got on the internet, we knew for sure that our home life was wrong. We tried to adapt, un-indoctrinate ourselves. Taking up sign language was a way we could talk without the Elders catching Phel’s voice and hurting him for talking. I would save up what little pocket money I got and slip it to Phel so he could buy snacks from school and keep them in his locker. The Elders...if they felt like he wasn’t living up to his purpose, achieving enough for my sake, they’d send him to bed with no dinner. We orchestrated calling child protection on ourselves...I told my teachers what Phel was going through… but we just kept moving house after every time the authorities showed.”

“I think CPS pulled him out of music class once,” Ezreal noted.

“And you didn’t think that was odd?” Vladimir replied, “That your classmate, who was covered in bruises, was being visited by social services?”

“I was a stupid teenager!” Ezreal retorted, “I was too busy with teenager stuff to care about other people.”

Vladimir huffed but said no more.

“When we were seventeen, it finally happened,” Alune stated, her voice gaining a little more strength, “We got out. Not through any way we managed to plan. Oh, I wish there was another way but… here we are.”

She gestured at her own legs, then her wheelchair.

“You need to understand,” she said, “Before then, Phel could talk. He just wasn’t allowed. Even when given the chance, at school, or alone with me, he didn’t talk much because he didn’t believe he was worth listening to. He didn’t think his opinion mattered so didn’t share it. No matter what I tried back then, it was so hard to get through the brainwashing the Elders had done to him. Even-even now, he forgets. Forgets that he’s a person, forgets that he matters, that he’s worth liking, worth loving. These days however, he can’t talk, even if he wanted to. He isn’t mentally able anymore. Unless under very rare circumstances, even trying to talk makes him breakdown and...and that was because of the coach incident.”

She paused, her tears were drying with the revelation that finally, somehow, she had been given the chance to talk about this.

“As Diana said, twice a year the Elders lead a mass grouping of the Lunari, usually somewhere remote in the countryside, to celebrate the Solstices. These would be big prayer camps and were deemed compulsory no matter the danger of having so many Lunari in one place. We’d been given horror stories of Solstice celebrations being attacked by Solari-led gangs and arson and all manner of nastiness. Aphelios and I weren’t sure whether to believe them. The Solari - another ancient religion with a cult following, were always the monsters of my bed time stories, the bad people who took our father away. But we never met any, and most of the Elders’ beliefs were nonsense anyway. We began to doubt if the Solari existed. That changed when we were seventeen.”

Vladimir sat up a little straighter in his chair as if something had particularly caught his attention, but he didn’t say anything.

“We were heading to Devon for the Summer Solstice,” Alune continued “I remember getting on the coach, I remember falling asleep on the coach, and the next thing I knew I was in hospital. But Phel told me what happened. He was awake for all of it...and he’s the only reason I ever woke up at all. He said we were on a stretch of country road - single track, bad place for a coach all round. It was made worse when an enormous cargo truck came ramming down a nearby farm road and drove straight into us. The coach was bent in two, dozens of people died on impact. Phel and I were right at the back so we weren’t killed by the initial impact but… the coach and truck, now crushed together, burst aflame. His first reaction was to grab me and run for the fire escape at the back.”

Diana leant forward in her seat. Alune took a moment to stare at her but ploughed on regardless.

“When he got out, he saw two Jeeps full of people driving up the road behind them, brandishing weapons out the windows. Terrified, he jumped into the drainage ditch at the side of the road, covering me with his body and pretending to be one of the corpses of the people who escaped the coach but succumbed to their injuries. He might have camouflaged in the grass or mud or something, because they didn’t find him. And by they, I mean the Solari driving the truck and the Jeeps. They started hauling people out of the wreckage - dead or alive. And-and if they weren’t dead already, they were soon after. Phel told me...wrote actually...about the sounds of screams and gunshots as he lay face down in the ditch. He didn’t dare move. He didn’t dare make a single noise. He said he made himself light-headed because he kept holding his breath. He kept thinking that nothing was more important that protecting me, that I must survive. So, he lay there for hours and hours in forced silence. Even when he heard cars or people nearby, he couldn’t know if they were Solari or not. He forced himself to not speak, cry, scream. He lay there, over my unconscious body, repressing every noise, as the people we’d known our entire lives died around us. One noise, one movement in the grass could have alerted the Solari, therefore…”

Alune shuddered. Her anger was dying down, dampened by the memories. She recalled the uncertainty of that time, the terror on her brother’s face even after the incident was long over. All the times she’d held him during his nightmares. All the long days when she was in hospital and he had to cope on his own.

“The police said he was there for six hours. He was on the very edge of consciousness when a police car came by to investigate the scene once the bodies had been cleared, and found us there. Apparently, he’d remained hidden even to the firefighters who came to deal with the blaze. We were immediately taken to hospital. I...I had spinal injury from crash...as you can probably tell, I can’t use my legs anymore. He… Aphelios was exhausted, dehydrated, but otherwise physically fine. However, from that point onwards, he couldn’t speak. Every time he tries, his brain thinks the Solari will find him and kill him. Kill us. He thinks that if he speaks, he’s exposing us both to danger. That’s why he breaks down, that’s why he runs and hides. Between that moment and everything the Lunari Elders did to him leading up to it…can you blame him for being traumatised? My baby brother has gone through far too much to ever face a Lunari without fear. They hurt him beyond repair. I will never know what it’s like to have a happy smiling little brother, who can freely express himself, who feels that he deserves to have friends like these.”

She gestured to the rest of Uninhibited.

“Neither of us can escape their indoctrination entirely. Until he started playing music, Phel was still trying to keep everything to himself He has suffered in silence for so long, and he can’t even speak about it. Because if he speaks, he thinks the Solari will kill him. So just take a moment. Understand. All of you. What a miracle it is that he’s still here today! That he can sing and perform in front of a crowd without the slightest bit of terror. He has come so far – from making his first friends to finding someone else that loves him.”

She turned to address Ezreal and Vladimir.

“Now you know, now you know what has happened to him, I am not putting up with any more blatant disregard from you two. I expect you to treat Phel with the same care and respect he treats you. And if you don’t… I’ll persuade him to go solo!”

She then turned to look at Diana.

“I don’t blame you for finding solace in a new faith. I won’t ask what led you to that point, I don’t really care. But don’t expect your experiences to be universal. Don’t assume, because your faith loves you, that it has always loved everyone. I know we were born into the most extreme parts of the religion. I know our experiences are unique – especially now the Elders and that book are bullet-ridden ashes. But I don’t want you talking about the Lunari around Phel or I ever again. We are doing our very best to move on from that part of our lives.”

Diana swallowed heavily and looked up at her.

“I’m sorry,” she said, “I had no idea and…I jumped to conclusions too quickly.”

“Thank you,” Alune told her, “And… I apologise for yelling at you. You didn’t understand, but…please don’t chase scared people around music festivals.”

“Never again,” Diana promised.

Alune turned to Ezreal and Vladimir again, who were staring at her with stunned shock in their expressions. They continued to stare at each for a long moment of silence, in which the members of Domination shifted their gazes like they were watching the world’s slowest tennis match. There was silence for a good few minutes until Vladimir managed to make a small hiccupping noise. He managed a small murmur of

“I’m sorry.”

He got to his feet; a hand clapped over his mouth as if he was about to be sick. His boyfriend also got his feet looking concerned. Vladimir made a hand motion that certainly wasn’t sign language as he began to walk towards the door. Everyone watched him go as he picked up his pace, speeding into a sprint as he reached the door.

Only for it to burst open.

“Sorry, what did we miss?!” Sett proclaimed loudly in the near-silent room. Not even taken aback by the fact everyone was now staring at him, he cocked his head to one side and squinted at where the buffet had once been.

“Ah…Any food left for us at all?”


	10. Meanwhile...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Domination have arrived at Swain and Vladimir's home, and with them comes Sett! Whilst we've seen the revealing conversation that happened downstairs, what were Aphelios and Sett up to that meant they couldn't be apart of it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is E for explicit content! If you are a minor you shouldn't be reading this E-rated story anyway. However, this is the warning that this chapter contains a lot of sex.
> 
> It's almost entirely a sex scene that didn't fit tonally in with the previous chapter.

He knew. Aphelios knew he was taking too long but this wasn’t a decision he could make lightly. Perhaps his bandmates would say he was making a fuss out of nothing, but this was a very bold move for him, and not one that he wanted to humiliate him for as long as he lived. The longer he dawdled the more he was likely to get teased. However, he’d rather get mocked for being indecisive than being caught in company with this outfit under his clothes. Because yes, he had tried the bunny outfit on, corset, cuffs and all. And yes, he still had it on as he pulled his jeans back on, the outfit being so tight it barely provided any resistance to his trousers. The idea of meeting Sett again with this concealed beneath his normal clothing was still very attractive. Sett would likely appreciate it, if his enthusiasm for the outfit was anything to go by. However, if Vladimir or Ezreal got wind of what he was doing… Well, after Ezreal’s initial shock had subsided, he’d never hear the end of it. And Alune! Could he really do that in front of Alune? She probably wouldn’t care, but he did. That wasn’t something you could admit in front of your sister! Especially after she’d heard him the other day! Sett’s fantasy was just that, Sett’s. He didn’t want anyone else knowing about it! So here he was, standing about in his jeans and the velvet bodysuit, feeling the fish net tights brush up against the denim on his legs. 

His phone buzzed as he contemplated whether to take the collar and corset off before putting his shirt back on. The collar might show through the fabric of his roll-neck, and the jumper was tight enough that it’d be easy to spot the change in his figure caused by the corset. As he contemplated this, he took out his phone, seeing Alune had texted him

**Where are you? Domination is here!!**

Ah damn it! He hastily texted her back:

**I’m fine. Just deciding what to wear. Be down in a bit.**

He pulled on his sweater before swiftly realising it was way too clingy to conceal anything. He could see the outline of the body suit against the fabric, not just the corset and the collar. With a sigh he hastily looked around at his rail, hoping to spot a shirt, or some sort of top from one of the photoshoots that would do the trick. The problem was that none of those were particularly generous either. Uninhibited really did want him in tight clothing all the time. Didn’t they think he’d ever need to hide a playboy bunny suit under any of these? Of course not but aah, this was so much more nerve-wracking that he’d anticipated!

Taking deep breaths, Aphelios reminded himself that this was nothing to panic over. He had proved, beyond doubt, that he was someone worth desiring. Sett would probably like him whatever he wore. Considering their first kiss had been in those cutesy rabbit pyjamas. However it was Sett’s birthday, and they planned to sleep together as part of their reunion. It wasn’t shameful or embarrassing for him to want to dress up for the occasion. He bet Vladimir had a whole wardrobe full of erotic outfits! He knew he shouldn’t compare his sex life to Vladimir’s, but he didn’t have that many other points of comparison. There was nothing wrong with putting on sexy clothes for your partner. Especially when he knew Sett loved how he looked in this and how he felt kind of attractive wearing it. He put the pompom tail in his pocket as he rummaged through the rails. What about that striped shirt he’d worn for their streetwear shoot? Shouldn’t that be somewhere? It was definitely baggy, the sleeves long enough that he’d lost his hands to them. He went to the most colourful end of his rail and continued his search. The shirt had been predominately pastel blue, so it would be somewhere…

Knock. Knock.

Aphelios jumped, knocking into the rail and rattling coat hangers into a din of clattering of metal.

“Hello?” called a very familiar voice from outside the wardrobe. 

Aphelios frantically tried to ruffle his sweater so the trace of bunny outfit wouldn’t be so obvious. When that did nothing, he grabbed the closest cardigan and donned it with all the haste of a school changing room.

“Phel, you in here?”

The door gave a little creak as Sett pushed his way inside. Seemingly taken aback by the size of the walk-in wardrobe, he stopped in his tracks, taking in the blindingly-white space and enormity of the clothing rails. Yet, the countless mirrors and lights weren’t distracting enough to hide Aphelios for long. And even his current clothing dilemma wasn’t enough to keep Aphelios from him. The joy that welled up inside of him was undeniable. With a fresh spring to his step, Aphelios turned on his heel, all thoughts of concealment forgotten. Yes, they’d called every week for the last two months, and yes, they messaged almost every day. But there was something so much better, so much more real, when he was right there in front of him. Especially when it was only the second time he’d ever physically been in his company. Aphelios hurried across the room, careful not to slip on any trailing sleeves. He was going to have words with Vladimir later – for who else could have told Sett he was in here? However, he was too delighted to care right now. The bubble of excitement he’d been feeling since he discovered Domination were visiting had finally taken control. Smiling, he rushed into Sett’s out-stretched arms, hugging him around the chest and burying his face into that familiar black Domination shirt.

“Heya Phel,” Sett chuckled, lifting him with ease so they were face to face, “Heard you were having some trouble up here?”

He looked like he’d just stepped out of his bus. The back of his hair had fluffed up from sleeping against the seat and he rather dishevelled from so much time undoubtedly camped out in his cubby. There was a small rucksack slung over one of his shoulders.

“ _Not trouble_ ,” Aphelios replied, freeing his hands as Sett kept him up by the middle, “ _Just couldn’t decide what to wear. There’s a lot of choice in here.”_

“Mm, I can see that,” Sett replied, “Though I think you look pretty fine whatever you’ve got on.”

Aphelios tried not to blush at that and failed miserably. Having him actually here in front of him was just so much…more. A more intense Sett experience? If that could possibly make sense, he didn’t know.

 _“How was your trip?”_ he asked, as Sett put him.

“Much better now it’s over,” Sett said, “Having you here is a nice surprise. Thought I was going to be stuck in this posh house with Swain and my bandmates for the weekend.”

 _“I didn’t know you were visiting until yesterday_ ,” Aphelios explained, “ _I’m sorry you ended up spending your birthday here rather than at home with your mother.”_

Sett looked surprised for a moment. 

“How d’you know it’s my birthday?”

“ _Your Facebook,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _When you showed me your photos, I saw your birthday too. I…I have gifts for you, but they’re in my bag upstairs. I got Alune to bring them with her from home.”_

Sett’s ears perked at the idea of gifts, but Aphelios couldn’t help but notice him glancing at the clothing rails. He looked like he was searching for something.

“Well, that sounds amazing,” Sett replied, “But, I got a question about this place, if you don’t mind.”

Could he be looking for the very thing Aphelios was wearing? Aphelios gave a little shiver of excitement at the thought.

“ _Sure_ ,” he replied with a smile, “ _Anything for the birthday boy.”_

Sett grinned.

“Anything?” he repeated, slyly.

 _“Anything,”_ Aphelios confirmed, _“Ask away.”_

Sett gave another long look to the rail labelled with Aphelios’ name. When it was clear he didn’t find what he was looking for, he asked:

“So, these your clothes from all the shoots you did, right?”

Aphelios nodded.

“So…” Sett continued, his grin widening to expose pointed teeth, “Is there a certain outfit from a certain shoot I might be able to find in here?”

 _“That depends entirely on which outfit you mean,”_ Aphelios teased, toying his cardigan as he contemplated taking it off to expose the traces of costume beneath.

“Well, I was thinkin’,” Sett continued, scouring the rails to no success once more, “Since it’s my birthday, and I’ve been pretty good for the last few months, not yellin’ at my bandmates or anything… I might get to see my favourite bunny in his best photoshoot outfit of all.”

 _“I’m sure that can be arranged,”_ said Aphelios, still feigning ignorance, _“Which one would you like? Go ahead. You can choose if you want.”_

Sett took this as permission to start rummaging through the clothes. There was no way he wasn’t talking about the tuxedo bunny outfit. It was the one he had the whole artbook of after all. So whilst Sett stuck his head in the rows upon rows of black frilly things, Aphelios carefully took off his cardigan, draping it over a nearby chair. Feeling devious, he then removed his sweater as quietly as he could, knowing it would be no easy feat to get past Vastayan hearing. The ears and the tail of the bunny outfit were in his trouser pockets. He slid the ears on as Sett let out a little frustrated huff, clearly looking through the black clothes and only finding trousers and waistcoats. Heart-racing, Aphelios slid off his jeans, feeling slightly perverted, but eagerly anticipating the other man’s reaction. He did rather enjoy shocking Sett, and this had to be a good surprise.

Tail in place, corset adjusted and tights hitched up a bit, he took a deep breath. Sett muttered something like ‘where is it’ as Aphelios gathered his courage, trying to pretend this wasn’t arousing him just a bit. He liked being desired and Sett was definitely going to desire him. He was right behind Sett now, dressed as his ultimate fantasy. He couldn’t wait to see his face! He just had to make the experience truly surprising…

Another deep breath. Alright! He could do this! Focus on the lust and…

“Sett?”

Sett whipped around at the sound of his own name in Aphelios’ voice. 

His eyes widened.

His jaw dropped.

His cheeks flushed red.

Aphelios couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled forth unbidden from his throat. He placed one hand to the side of his own face, mimicking one of the pictures in the artbook and winked.

Sett let out a noise somewhere between a groan and a gurgle.

“You…you…” he gasped, struggling to form coherent words as Aphelios turned a little so Sett could see his pompom tail.

“ _Happy birthday,”_ Aphelios tried with a smile, “ _Was this what you were looking for?”_

Sett let out a sigh that sounded very much like the word ‘fuck’. He straightened up to his full height and looked down at Aphelios as if he couldn’t believe what was right in front of him. His ears were bolt upright as he tried to process everything that had just happened. Aphelios merely waited patiently for him to get his thoughts in order. Though he had to admit, this was all rather fun.

“You…” Sett murmured, “What… bloody hell.”

He took a step closer to Aphelios, gaze roving up and down his velvet and fish-net clad body.

“What did I do to deserve this?” Sett commented, his voice gaining a little strength, though he kept it to a low rumble, “Who knew such a sweet guy could be such a terrible fucking tease…?”

 _“You like it,”_ Aphelios reminded him.

Sett grinned, closing the gap between them with a single stride.

“I love it,” he purred back, “I admit, was kinda planning to take you out to dinner first but…if I’ve got ya here in front of me dressed like this.”

“ _Dinner can happen anytime,”_ Aphelios reasoned, “ _But you only get one birthday a year.”_

“You make a good point,” Sett replied, wrapping his arms around Aphelios’ waist, making him squeak slightly as he was brought in close enough to feel the muscles of Sett’s torso through his t-shirt.

“Got somewhere other than a cupboard bunny?”

Aphelios got onto his tiptoes to kiss him.

 _“I’m sure I can find us something_.”

The journey back to his room was a nervous yet strangely exhilarating experience. For one, he didn’t have time to pick up his clothes and cover himself before Sett swept him up and carried him out the door. Only his phone and that wasn’t exactly covering anything. Literally anyone could see them like this. His bandmates, Sett’s bandmates, Alune, members of staff… There would be no doubt in anyone’s mind what was going on here. What were you supposed to think when you saw one man carry another bridal style through the house? Especially when the one being carried was in a sexy bunny outfit! Yet Aphelios couldn’t bring himself to feel ashamed. It was all rather exciting. Having Sett back, being his arms, pointing the way to go as they raced through the house before anyone caught them. Perhaps the danger was its own kind of thrill, the fact they could be found out until the very moment Sett slammed the door to Aphelios’ room behind them. No sooner were they safely inside, then Aphelios found himself pressed up against the wall beside the door. Hands in Sett’s hair, legs around his waist, he kissed back with a ferocity that betrayed how much he’d yearned to kiss this man in their months apart. Lips to lips, tongue to tongue, it felt like Sett was trying to devour him, and Aphelios couldn’t imagine anything he wanted more right now. One of his hands ventured down Sett’s t-shirt as Sett ground up against him, pushing him even harder into the wall with a scratch of denim on velvet. Aphelios sucked on Sett’s bottom lip before kissing his way along his jawline. Sett was panting heavily in his ear, his breaths occasionally laced with groans as Aphelios ground back against him.

“Alright,” Sett murmured, “Bed. Now… I want a good look at you.”

Aphelios wasn’t done kissing him yet, so he merely hung on tight as Sett lifted him into his arms again. He was now at the right height to play with the man’s ears and unable to resist the urge to lay butterfly kisses to the sensitive tips. Sett let out a little growl at that, a noticeable shiver passing through his body as he located Aphelios’ bed.

“There you go you tease.”

Aphelios let out a little gasp as he toppled onto the bed. Sett hadn’t dropped him, more like…let him go a few inches above the covers. Enough to shock him as he landed with a soft flump onto the covers, bouncing a little with the bed springs. Yet even that wasn’t going to dissuade him. Sett was staring down at him, eyes roving up and down his body as if deciding where to ravish first. That shoot may have been two years ago now, but Aphelios remembered his research like it was yesterday. He raised his hands above his head, folding his arms loosely on top of the pillows. He rested the side of his face on the duvet, watching Sett’s reaction all the while, before placing his feet on the covers and letting his knees fall apart.

“One day I want to know how you got so well cut,” Sett commented. Aphelios frowned a little at him. Cut?

“Built,” Sett clarified, “You’ve got some clear upper-body strength. Kinda makes me wonder-“

He seemed to catch himself with a shake of his head.

“That’s not important right now,” he told them both, climbing onto the bed and over Aphelios in his photoshoot pose, “Now’s for unwrapping my birthday present.”

Aphelios wanted to make a quip about all the effort he’d gone to put the outfit on. However it was hard to do anything of the sort when Sett pinned his wrists to the pillows and pressed their lips together once more. Thoroughly boxed in by Sett’s sheer size, Aphelios moaned as Sett’s free hand roamed his body, cupping him through his bodysuit, peeling back the loose fabric at his chest, taking a firm grip of one ass cheek as he pulled them ever closer. Though his grip was strong, Sett was still gentle with him. His gaze never felt Aphelios’ expression as he kissed his way down the other’s throat, nipping at his shoulders, leaving marks across the unblemished stretches of his skin. Aphelios whimpered as Sett thumbed one of his exposed nipples. Watching his reactions, eyes dark with desire, Sett let him go to press both hands to Aphelios’ chest. Aphelios’ whimpers turned to moans as Sett rolled each nipple between thumb and forefinger, only stopping to press more kisses to Aphelios’ parted lips.

“So sensitive bunny,” Sett chuckled, cupping his chest, pinching to make him squeak, “I wonder if I could make you come just from massaging your tits.”

“Sett…”

Part of Aphelios wanted to find out, the rest would be deeply disappointed if that meant he didn’t get Sett inside of him afterwards. He gave the man his best imploring look at he wrapped his arms around the man’s shoulders, shoving at his leather jacket with the intent to get it off and the t-shirt after that. Sett rewarded his insistence by shucking off the jacket and letting it fall to the floor beside the bed with a thump. However, it was clear that Aphelios wasn’t going to be calling all the shots. For no sooner was Sett back, he returned to teasing Aphelios’ chest. Kissing and sucking at his nipples, a few scrapes of his teeth here or there adding an intoxicating note of pain to the surge of pleasure. Aphelios was sure he was going to be bruised later, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Sett was making him loud as he arched into the wet embrace of his mouth. He let out his loudest gasp of all as suddenly Sett bit down. His pointed teeth breaking skin before he started to gently lap at the bloody marks left behind. Sett glanced up at him, as if worried he was being too hard on his partner. But Aphelios merely drew him into another open-mouthed kiss, tasting his own blood faintly on Sett’s incisors.

Pain, it turned out, was just as addictive as pleasure when it came to this man. It only served to intensify every feeling, every moment of being at Sett’s mercy. It was as if, as soon as he felt safe, as soon as he felt wanted, even pain could be a wonderful thing. He moaned at every bite mark left on his skin, daring to try and give Sett a few of his own, even though his teeth weren’t nearly as sharp. It was likely he’d just leave bruises, but Sett seemed to appreciate the effort.

“This bunny’s feisty,” he murmured into Aphelios’ shoulder, nimble fingers making short work of the lacing on his corset, before moving his touch downwards, “Hmm, what do we do with feisty bunnies?”

Aphelios wanted to say something along the lines of ‘fuck them’, but no sooner had he opened his mouth, then Sett gave him a sly grin and a hard squeeze to the velvet-covered bulge in his body suit. Aphelios couldn’t stop the yell of his name. The outfit was decidedly less fitting than it had been downstairs. The strip of fabric between his legs was barely keeping him concealed anymore and it was getting so tight against his behind.

“Sett, you-your… ” 

“This fucking outfit,” Sett swore, “You have no idea what it does to me.”

His hand was so warm, his touch so firm, that Aphelios couldn’t stop himself grinding into the grip on his cock.

“I…I think I have some idea,” he panted, wondering if Sett was just going to hold him or do something, “Otherwise…wouldn’t have worn it.”

“That’s true,” Sett smirked, “And now look at you. You tried to tease the Boss and now your body is just begging for me.”

There was no denying that with his hardness between Sett’s fingers. Yet Aphelios wasn’t done being contrary yet. He smiled back at him

“Then…then the Boss should do something about it, s-so he can hear me beg some more.”

Sett’s face went as red as his hair. Aphelios laughed as he had to take a moment to compose himself. After a few deep breaths, Sett clearly got his brain back in gear for his expression swiftly turned from one of surprise to a cunning smirk. He took his t-shirt off, much to Aphelios’ appreciation, before returning to teasing him through his clothing.

“Roll over,” Sett ordered.

It was a bit cramped trying to flip over whilst still under him, but Aphelios managed it with a slight wiggle. As soon as his hardness brushed against the covers, he gave a little moan, unable to cope to with yet more friction. Yet in this case, Sett appeared to take mercy. He shifted to one side as he commanded:

“Hips up, let me see that gorgeous ass of yours.”

Aphelios obeyed, pompom tail bobbing slightly as propped himself up on his knees. Front still pressed into the covers; he gave a little shiver as he realised what a compromising position he was in. Head down, backside up… He desperately wanted Sett to do something other than just look at him!

“So this appears to clip on,” Sett murmured. He smoothed one hand up Aphelios’ thigh before giving one buttock a firm squeeze. Aphelios pushed back into his grip, only to be punished by the loss of contact. He could feel Sett fumbling with the back of his suit, not sure what he was up to until he felt Sett detach the pompom from above his bottom. It was attached by a little loop of black fabric with a popper. But what was he doing with it?

Aphelios squirmed as Sett gave an experimental tug on the back of his bodysuit. The fabric was so tight against his erection, the squeeze was almost as great as having Sett’s hand there.

“What are you doing?” Aphelios asked, growing a little impatient. He was promptly silenced by slap against of his ass cheeks. Juddering forward, he moaned as Sett rubbed his palm against the place he’d been struck.

“Every bit of you is just perfect,” Sett sighed, “I think it’s time I get to see more of it, don’t you?”

The aim of his fumbling was revealed as Aphelios was. Sett had found the tiny zipper that fastened his suit in place and made swift work of releasing him from the velvet. With the corset already loose, the black fabric fell onto the bed beneath Aphelios, leaving him in nothing but his cuffs, fishnets and bunny ears.

“And we pop this here.”

Sett strapped the pompom tail around the top elastic on Aphelios’ tights, putting it perfectly back in place, but without a layer between. Surveying his handiwork, he gave an experimental little slap to the other side of his ass, making Aphelios whimper.

“Now you’re blushing on every cheek,” Sett commented, evidently pleased with himself as he kissed the tender skin, working his lips and tongue around the fishnet mesh as he laved the newly exposed skin with attention. Momentarily distracted from Aphelios’ ass, he kissed his way up his spine, tracing the lines of his tattoos with his tongue as he ventured steadily upwards. The further up he got, the closer he had to press against Aphelios’ upturned backside, until he was all but bent over him to nip at the back of his neck and shoulders. Despite the thickness of his jeans, Aphelios could feel a definite hardness through the denim. The thought only aroused and exhilarated him further, knowing he had the same effect on Sett as he did him. As he craned his head back for a kiss, he experimentally began to circle his hips, pushing back on Sett’s crotch with slow deliberate motions. Sett groaned, loudly, against lips, but did nothing to stop the motion. In fact, no sooner had they stopped for air, then he began to press down into the grind, making Aphelios’ hips tremble as he felt the hardness press up against his almost-bare ass.

“Sett, trousers off,” Aphelios gasped,

The friction of denim on his bare skin was almost becoming too much to bear.

“What was that?” Sett teased, grinding even harder.

“Trousers…” Aphelios managed, “Off…please. I want to feel you. Please.”

“Well as you asked so nicely.”

There was a dull thud of heavy denim hitting the bed. The mattress beneath them shifted as Sett kicked off his jeans, hesitated for a moment, before taking off his boxers as well.

Aphelios laid the side of his head on the pillows and had a nice long look at the now naked man on his bed. His boyfriend was a very large man, he had never denied that. But seeing all of him in his thick muscular glory, without a stitch on him… Aphelios let out an audible groan as he took in the sheer gorgeousness that was Sett. He’d been mesmerised by his shirtless photos on Instagram, touched himself to more than a few glimpses of those muscular thighs, the hint of hair trailing beneath tight white shorts. But nothing, nothing could prepare him for the real thing. Because seeing Sett without a screen between them was most definitely the real thing. He wanted to roll over, to reach forward and touch that herculean body, but as soon as he tried, Sett tutted and forced him back into his submissive pose. But…but _him_. He wanted to worship every inch of Sett, kiss every line of muscle as he sat between those enormous thighs. Rift Fest seemed like an age away when he was before Sett like this. It had been far too long since he’d been able to hold, to taste, this man’s cock. Everything Aphelios felt right now was soaked in want. He wanted Sett back here right now, pressing against him. He wanted to feel that cock – far longer and thicker than his toy, pressed against his ass. He wanted to know how it felt inside of him. He was done waiting. This wasn’t a want anymore; it was a need.

“Please,” he begged, shifting his hips a little, spreading his knees wider in the hopes that would entice him closer. If that didn’t work, his next words definitely would.

“Please Boss, I need you,” he pleaded, “I’ve been so good and waited all this time. Won’t you keep your promise? Won’t you stuff me full of you until everyone hears me screaming your name?”

Sett was clearly as weak to dirty talk as he was. He was even weaker to Aphelios repeating his own filthy promises back at him. His next words came out in a definite growl.

“Oh you’ll be screaming alright,” he retorted, “But I’ve got a few birthday treats left until I fill ya.”

What was that supposed to mean? Aphelios whined as Sett clambered back onto the bed. Taking Aphelios’ hips in both hands, Sett ran his cock between Aphelios’ cheeks, clearly enjoying how Aphelios whimpered and tried to provide him more friction. Unfortunately the tights were keeping his cheeks together, leaving him unable to direct any attention to his entrance, but Sett seemed quite content to rub pre-cum into the soft skin of his ass.

“Sett…” he moaned. His impatience earned him another slap that did nothing to dissuade his enthusiasm for more.

“I’m getting there,” Sett promised, “Just thinking about what to do with these tights of yours. I’d love to fuck my little bunny under his cotton puff tail, but this net is kind of in the way.”

He was going to have to choose one or other, Aphelios thought. There was no way of keeping the tail on without the tights, and it would be challenging to penetrate him with them on. He was happy to make the decision for him and just take off the tights. However, just as he moved to shimmy down the elastic, he felt the fishnet material suddenly being pulled taught against his ass. He let out a surprised yelp as he felt the tension grow and grow, almost cutting into his skin before suddenly…. Snap!

“Ah!”

The tension released at once, Aphelios’ ass bouncing a little as it was freed from its restraints. But he was still wearing the tights, they were still on his legs, around his waist but…

“Much better,” Sett commented.

He’d ripped a hole in his tights! With his bare hands! Usually Aphelios would protest at the destruction of perfectly good clothing. However, he hadn’t paid for these and well… It was kind of hard to complain when suddenly you felt a wet tongue prodding between your ass cheeks.

“Sett!”

“Nice and loud for me bunny.”

For a moment, Aphelios was confused as to what he was up to. Yet as Sett parted his cheeks and began to lick at the space between, his thoughts were lost once again to the haze of arousal. Sett was paying particular attention to his rim, kissing, licking, occasionally poking his tongue through the tight little hole and tasting his insides. The feeling… the feeling was unlike anything Aphelios could imagine. Sure he’d fingered himself plenty but the feeling of something hot and wet probing his insides like this? The slight stretch of the intrusion. The vibrations of Sett’s groan as he enjoyed the litany of noises he was drawing out of his gasping moaning boyfriend. Aphelios tried not to push himself into Sett’s face as Sett reached round to finger his erection, still lightly restrained by his tights. Oh moon and stars…the sensation from both sides was becoming too much. As he felt Sett pause, only to nip at his thighs, then at one cheek, he began to feel that familiar tension mount inside him. His cock was leaking precum all over Sett’s hand and the cover beneath. He wasn’t going to last! He wanted to come on Sett’s cock so badly but now…

“Sett,” he cried, “Sett…Sett I’m close I’m so…”

BZZZZZZZZ BZZZZZZZ

At first Aphelios missed the noise under the sounds of his own pleading. Yet as Sett stilled to work out what that was, he too picked up on the violent vibrating. It was coming from the head of the bed. There was a light flashing between the pillows, wedged down the side of the sheets. It was…

Oh fuck.

It was his phone.

“Ignore it,” Sett told him before burying his face back between the bite marks he’d made. The phone continued to vibrate and Aphelios simply couldn’t ignore it. Even Sett’s ministrations, stroking his cock and laving fresh attention to his twitching entrance, weren’t quite enough to make him ignore the call. There was only one person who really called him ever. And she’d surely only do it in an emergency. It had certainly ruined the mood a little, and he didn’t wish to ruin it further. However he had to know if Alune was alright.

He scrabbled around for the device, reaching it with his fingertips as Sett refused to let go of his thighs. He hit receive call a second before realising it would be a video call. He hastily slammed the phone camera-side down against the pillow.

“Phel? Where are you?” came Alune’s voice from the speaker. Sett decided to take that exact moment to cup his balls in one hand, making Aphelios shove his face into a pillow to muffle the following moan

“Is... stop it’s…it…is this urgent…?” he panted. 

“No, not really,” Alune answered, “Phel, where are-”

He hung up on her as he tried to stifle an even louder moan. If it wasn’t urgent then it could wait until he wasn’t having his ass eaten. That was the best way to describe what Sett was doing right now. Aphelios thrust his phone deep down the side of the bed before trying to mumble an apology. Sett however didn’t seem to care. Tracing Aphelios’ rim with a single finger, he guided it inside him with the help of his tongue.

“Going to need some lube real soon,” Sett told him, leaning back to watch as one of his large fingers slowly reached inside. Aphelios tried to produce a noise that wasn’t a garbled moan. When he failed, he gestured to the bedside table, where his bag of toiletries stood atop the surface. Whimpering for the short moment he was empty, he watched Sett grab the bag and pull out the travel sized bottle of Edge of Night.

“This is some fancy shit,” Sett commented, as he covered one hand in a generous amount of it, “Your bandmate buy you this?”

Aphelios merely nodded. He did not want to think about his bandmates right now. Not when he was so close to having Sett inside of him at last. Sett looked like he agreed, for he smirked at Aphelios’ pleading expression and continued where he left off. He covered Aphelios’ entrance with a generous amount of lube, his large strong fingers rubbing the slick substance in and around his hole as he cried out with the sensation of it all. This was nothing like doing it himself. Sett’s fingers were so big that they each felt like two of his own, stretching him out, providing slick friction against his inner walls. He was back at the edge and he was begging Sett to push him off. He didn’t want to come until Sett was inside him, he was trying his hardest, but the slow press of two fingers, scissoring apart his insides…

“I’m…If you don’t…I want to come,” he cried, “I want to…with you inside me. Please. I’m so close.”

“I’m not small Phel,” Sett said, “People have struggled with me before and I don’t want to hurt you. It’s your first time after all.”

The fact he’d switched back to something resembling his name betrayed Sett’s sincerity. His concern was sweet. However Aphelios didn’t care if he hurt him. He wanted Sett now!

“You won’t…hurt me,” he managed, before being cut off by the force of his own moans, “I want you. Please. I’m begging I just want…to feel you inside me. I want to make you feel good and…and come on your cock.”

“How can I resist such pretty begging,” Sett chuckled, “Alright, but don’t blame me if you end up sore.”

Aphelios shook his head frantically, as if he would never do such a thing. He arched his back a little more, wiggling his hips as Sett fetched a condom from his jeans, covered himself and added more lube. He took hold of Aphelios’ hips as he lined himself up with Aphelios’ entrance, which was already dripping with excess lube. Aphelios took a deep breath and tried to relax, knowing Sett was so much bigger than anything he’d had inside him before. The eight inches of toy were nothing compared to this, too short, too skinny and certainly not so gorgeous to look at. Yet he had to bury his face in the pillow to stem the chorus of small noises he was making as Sett slowly, ever so slowly pushed the head of his cock inside.

Oh fuck.

Oh gracious moon and all the fucking stars in the sky…

Sett laughed a little as he turned Aphelios speechless. His mouth open, a bit of saliva escaped him as every nerve in his body seemed to focus on having _that much_ inside of him. Sett surely hadn’t lied when he’d said people had struggled to take him before. He was big. So big it felt like Aphelios was being torn into two. Even with the extra lube Sett was adding, even with the preparation, it was a miracle he could even move in there. The slight pain was enough to drag him back from the edge of climax just for a moment, but the sparking of his frazzled nerves only mixed pain and pleasure as Sett thrust in further. There was a slight squelch of too much lube, but Aphelios was grateful for it. Sett was a heavy presence within him, stretching his rim to the point it ached.

And he loved every moment of it.

“Are you ok?” Sett asked, as Aphelios remained silent beneath him except for his heavy panting.

Aphelios nodded. Unable to tell him how wonderfully ok he was, he pushed his hips back, taking another inch of Sett inside and punching out a gurgle of a moan. He was starting to think he might like pain a bit too much when he was aroused but that was a thought for another time.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Sett moaned, “You take me so god-damn well… so tight, so perfect…”

No one. No one was ever going to fill him like Sett could. He just knew it. Perhaps if Sett fucked him hard enough his body would learn to be the perfect source of pleasure for him. Sett would never want to go anywhere else, need anyone else, he could just fill him like this all the time… it would be heaven.

By the time their hips pressed flush together, Aphelios was drooling mess upon the pillow. Sett smirked at his expression of euphoria, bending over, pushing himself in that bit deeper to kiss Aphelios’ back and shoulders.

“Can you feel me?” he murmured, “That’s my cock in you Phel, rearranging your insides so I can make you feel so fucking good.”

Speaking was still beyond Aphelios’ ability right now . He tried to reach around, to kiss him back, but the angle was a bit too uncomfortable, especially now he felt like a hard metal rod impaling him inside, rooting him to the spot. He managed something like a nod before grinding his hips back, starting a shaky rhythm as he rocked himself up and down the cock inside of him. Sett moaned and took control, his firm grip on Aphelios’ hips slowly easing him off his cock until only an inch or two remained inside. Then, with a quick check on Aphelios’ expression, he drove himself back inside.

Aphelios screamed.

One of the pillows fell off the bed. The headboard rattled against the bedside table. Aphelios almost banged his head as he just about stopped himself sliding up the bed even further. His phone was lost to the depths of the furniture but Aphelios couldn’t even remember it existed. Sett’s pace was slow and steady at first – powerful thrusts that made his head swim and his screams escape like they had been punched from his lungs. Yet as he pushed himself back into every one of Sett’s movements, the pace increased, and so did the force. Tears of ecstasy ran down Aphelios’ face as hot friction ingulfed him, igniting the spot that had him seeing stars. His voice cracked occasionally, unused to producing such volume, as he cried out Sett’s name so loud it drowned out the steady thump of the headboard against the wall. Again and again he was split open. Again and again his every nerve sang with sweet pain and pleasure. The slap of skin on skin was just about audible over Sett’s moaning, but Aphelios couldn’t hear it. He was too caught up in the feeling of it all, the pleasure, the everything… He was going to come and he knew already it wasn’t going to be like any orgasm he’d had before.

“Sett! SETT!”

He managed his name a few times before he felt himself clench hard around the weight in his ass. His thighs trembled, giving out on him as suddenly the barrier broke – whatever was keeping him sane shattered. His entire body spasmed, shuddering in the grip on his hips as he felt himself filled with additional warmth. The sudden additional pressure around his cock had clearly pushed Sett over the edge too, making him cum hard without making even more a mess of Aphelios’ insides. Aphelios couldn’t think about it too hard, not with the shocks of his own orgasm raging through him. He slumped onto the pillows into a small puddle of his own cum, shaking from head to toe. Tears streamed down his face as he felt his gaping hole try to clench on nothing as Sett pulled out. Feeling boneless, there was little Aphelios could do but lie there and twitch as Sett shakily removed his condom and deposited it in a nearby wastepaper basket.

When he returned to the bed, Sett lay down beside the semi-conscious Aphelios and began leaving butterfly kisses along the marks he’d made, up his neck and across his cheek until their lips met once more. His touch was much gentler than it had been before, as he carefully rearranged Aphelios and held him close, smoothing his hair from his eyes and the tears from his cheeks.

“You ok Phel?”

Aphelios didn’t know he was going to be ok again. He was ruined for touching himself now he knew that existed. Even in his wildest Sett-related fantasies…they were nothing like this. He laid his head on Sett’s chest, using one of his impressive pecs as a pillow. This seemed to amuse Sett for he drew him in tighter and allowed him to rest there.

He wasn’t sure how long he lay there, maybe ten minutes, maybe more. Aphelios tried to take deep breaths as the high died down. The longer he waited, the more aware he became the sheer soreness of his backside. In fact, when he tried to curl up beside Sett, hopefully for a nap, a sudden spark of pain rocketed up his spine, causing him to yelp in alarm. Unlike before, this pain certainly did not feel good now his arousal had died down. Seeing his reaction, Sett gently eased him back into the straighter position.

“Yeah, I did think you were going to be feeling it,” he said quietly, “You got a bathroom around here? A bath will probably help with some of the aches. Also we’re both a mess.”

Aphelios nodded, pointing towards the bathroom that connected the two bedrooms in this guest suite.

“Alright,” Sett said, “I’ll go run a bath, just relax.”

Aphelios was loath to let him leave, but Sett pressed another gentle kiss to his lips before disentangling himself from his boyfriend and the sheets. Aphelios wanted to sulk or pout or something, but Sett was right. The more he tried to move, the more his ass screamed at him to not. At this rate, walking around was going to be difficult, and they did need to go back downstairs eventually. So he merely listened as Sett negotiated the many knobs and dials of the jacuzzi bath. Finally, he seemed to have got it filled to his satisfaction, for he came back for Aphelios’ wash bag, and then Aphelios.

“All right, all aboard,” he declared, as he scooped Aphelios up off the bed. If Aphelios wasn’t so tired from that fucking, being picked up so easily would definitely have turned him on. Maybe another time?

Sett helped him strip off the remains of his attire. The ruined cum-covered tights went into the bin, but Sett tossed the rest into a wicker basket that looked like it was probably for laundry. Aphelios noted, as they entered the bathroom, that Sett had run the dangerous gambit of putting bubble bath into the jacuzzi. Thankfully, he’d managed a light sparkling foam rather than a bubble flood like the first time Alune had tried. Sett gently lowered him into the bath, the hot water an immense relief against the ache in his back he didn’t even know he had. It didn’t surprise him when Sett swiftly followed, the jacuzzi was big enough for at least four, so there was plenty of room for cuddling as they got washed up.

“You’re a sight,” Sett commented, as he helped Aphelios wash off the sweat and blood from his shoulders and back. Looking down, Aphelios saw that he did indeed have many bruises and more than a few teeth marks. And he’d left his roll-neck downstairs too…

“ _Well who’s fault was that then?”_ he signed back, “ _It looks like someone got a taste for rabbit.”_

Sett gave a little snort of laughter.

“There’s my sassy Phel. You feeling a bit more like yourself?”

Aphelios smiled.

_“Yes, thank you…for everything.”_

“No, thank you,” Sett insisted, with a grin, removing the bunny ears that somehow had stayed on Aphelios’ head all this time.

“Best birthday treat ever.”


	11. Past and Presents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aphelios returns downstairs in the wake of Alune's explanation about their painful past. How will he react when he discovered Alune has revealed all he's tried to keep hidden? Yet Aphelios isn't only one with a story to tell this weekend. When the twins' story brings back a long-repressed memory within Vladimir, he decides it's time to finally get the record straight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are Trigger Warnings for this Chapter! - this chapter reiterates some of Aphelios' story and contains our second Uninhibited member backstory.  
> Warnings for - Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Gang Violence, Kidnapping, Abuse of Authority, Murder, Manipulation, Vehicle Crashing, Underage Relationship with an Adult, Gore and Torture. 
> 
> (These are all the traumatic backstories over, don't worry, Ezreal is pretty much ok.)

Walking was proving slightly problematic for Aphelios right now. He was feeling remarkably better for his bath, but as soon as he tried to get out the bath and ready to go back downstairs, the pain returned. Seemingly finished with telling him ‘I warned you’, Sett was gracious enough to help him back into his room so he could pull on fresh clothes. Regretting slightly that he’d left his roll-neck downstairs, Aphelios did his best to hide the teeth marks and bruises with a button up shirt. However, as Sett was swift to point out, there were a bit too many of those for that. Whilst he did have makeup with him, Aphelios decided to let it be. He would be prepared to bet money on the fact that his bandmates already knew what he’d got up to – at the very least Vladimir would and he’d have told the others. On a positive note, Ezreal could no longer spout ridiculous statements about him being the ‘innocent’ member of the band. If Aphelios went downstairs looking like he’d just had a lot of sex then there was no way Ezreal could deny it. Still, he adjusted his collar little, wondering if he was going to traumatise Alune by looking like this. Well, he already couldn’t walk straight so there was no point denying it. So he allowed Sett to carry him towards the lift, only objecting that he wanted down when they approached a member of manor staff and asked where everyone else was.

Aphelios wondered if he’d got soft to pain as he slowly walked in the direction of the party lounge. Once this would’ve been nothing. He’d gone to school with broken fingers and toes and tried to pass them off as muscle strains. He’d considered himself to have remarkable endurance. Able to hide his pain even from Alune, he’d made many trips, lasted many hours, when doctors would surely have told him to rest. In a way that wasn’t something to be proud of, in fact it was detrimental to his health, however he needed to keep up the veneer of everything being fine. He needed to pretend so he didn’t get in any more trouble. Trying not to think too much as to why pain with sex was good, whilst pain anywhere else was terrible, Aphelios picked up a definite limp the longer he walked. When the moment was right, he was definitely going to ask someone for some painkillers. So used to sucking it up and enduring, he never carried any with him. However, he couldn’t spend the rest of the weekend like this being secretly carried places. Not that he wasn’t grateful to be whisked away in Sett’s very strong muscular arms.

“I’ll get the door,” Sett insisted once they got to the lounge. It was strangely quiet ahead of them – Aphelios expected music or at least conversation. Domination were probably pretty exhausted after their long trip, but he expected to at least hear Vladimir or Ezreal trying to be entertainment. But no, he couldn’t hear a thing from inside. Was everyone just being quiet or…?

Sett opened the door with a slight thud.

“Sorry, what did we miss?!” Sett proclaimed loudly in the near-silent room. Not even taken aback by the fact everyone was now staring at him, he cocked his head to one side and looked around at everyone. Aphelios, who was leaning against the wall behind him, could just about see that Vladimir had stopped in the doorway in front of Sett, one hand over his mouth.

“Ah…Any food left for us at all?” Sett tried. He stepped aside and Vladimir sprinted past and into a door halfway down the corridor. From parties prior, Aphelios knew that to be a bathroom. Confused and now wary of all this silence, he snuck around Sett to see what was going on in the room. Every member of Domination seemed to have chosen their own sofa and were now scattered around the large room. They all had empty plates or glasses on small tables or on the seats beside them – lunch evidently being long over. Vladimir being in the bathroom, Aphelios looked for his other bandmate and his sister and found them both on the same sofa, beside Alune’s powerchair. She was holding a glass of something definitely alcoholic and it looked like she had been both angry and crying. This immediately set Aphelios on high alert. Almost sending him into a panic when he realised who was sat on the sofa opposite Alune’s.

“It’s cool!” Ezreal assured him as he took a wobbly step backwards away from Diana. She was halfway across the room and there was no way she could reach him from there. However that didn’t stop the urge to flee.

“It’s ok Phel,” Alune told him, “She’s apologised.”

They’d talked? Alune and Diana had… why hadn’t he warned Alune about Diana?! He should have told her before she’d got here! So caught up in the idea of Sett being back, he hadn’t even thought about it. No wonder she had been upset and angry!

 _“I’m sorry I should have told you…”_ he began, but she cut him off.

“No, Phel, there’s nothing to apologise for. Vladimir told me what happened at Rift Fest. It’s not your fault that you didn’t want to think about it.”

She sounded slightly drunk. How much had she had? It was still early afternoon.

“And I am sorry,” Diana added, turning in her seat to face the doorway and Aphelios. Sett stepped in front of him, as if providing him a wall to hide behind. Aphelios appreciated him all the more for it.

“I was unaware that you and your sister left the faith for…personal reasons. I apologise for running after you are Rift Fest, my enthusiasm over-turned my common sense back then.”

Oh. Well…he still didn’t really want to be around her, but it was nice that she had apologised. He stepped around Sett and managed a small:

_“Thank you.”_

Alune repeated this for him when it became evident that Diana didn’t know sign language. Aphelios was slowly piecing things together now. Alune had been told about Rift Fest by Vladimir. She’d then had too much to drink and decided to accost Diana about it. Thus resulting in the anger and probably the tears – perhaps they’d argued loudly and aggressively as Alune was want to do when drunk. That had likely contributed to the awkward atmosphere that now filled the lounge. Though didn’t explain why Ezreal was looking so nervous and Vladimir had looked like he was going to vomit. He was still missing something here.

“Well, now that’s sorted,” announced Morgana, who was lounging by herself in one corner, “I’m going to use your pool Jericho. The indoor one. I need some space.”

“Go ahead,” Swain told her, “Ask a member of staff for the key to your guest room and the changing area.”

Morgana nodded and got to her feet. Without a word to anyone, Pyke followed her out of the room. Sett and Aphelios hastily entered and moved to one side to let them pass. Aphelios opted to hobble to the sofa with his sister one it. He sat beside her and immediately she pulled him closer with an arm around his shoulders. Sett joined them, taking the seat just vacated by Diana.

“I’m going to freshen up,” Diana declared, “I’ll be in my room, but text first, ok?”

There was a mumble of agreement from her remaining bandmates. The members of Domination seemed to be scattering thick and fast in the way of their arrival. Katarina asked Swain where his gym was whilst Zed simply slipped off whilst no one was looking. By the time Vladimir came back, looking like nothing had happened, only Swain and Sett remained from Domination. Ezreal, Aphelios and Alune making up the rest of the company.

“Ah, they’ve vacated the room,” Vladimir commented, as he joined the central area where Aphelios assumed the argument had happened. Swain was still a few metres away, but it was clear he was listening to them talk.

“Can you call me a car?” Alune asked Vladimir, “One of your fast membership ones. I really want to go home.”

Aphelios looked at her, concern welling up inside.

 _“But you only just got here,”_ he objected, _“Are you alright? What happened?”_

“I’m fine, just tipsy,” she assured him, “Just…I kind of ruined the mood here. It’ll be best if I went home.”

 _“I thought you wanted to use the spa things?”_ He was definitely missing something here. Alune wasn’t the sort to back away from an argument, let alone get embarrassed by it and want to leave. He usually had to persuade her to stop.

“I’m sure the spa will be here another day,” she told him, “It’s not like you don’t have almost every band meeting here. If I go now, I won’t have to pay the neighbours to feed Yuumi.”

That just sounded like an excuse, but if she really didn’t want to be here, then it wasn’t up for debate.

 _“Should I go pack up?”_ he asked, _“I shouldn’t take long to be ready to go back with you.”_

“No, you stay here,” Alune insisted, “Sett just got back, so you should be able to hang out with him. It’s just… I made a spectacle of myself in front of everyone and now I’m not in the mood for…well, socialising. I’d rather have some quiet time by myself.”

That was understandable. She sounded a little tired so perhaps she just wasn’t as up to this trip as she thought she was initially. That had happened before for both of them.

“You’re just going to go?” asked Ezreal, who didn’t seem to think this was as understandable as Aphelios did, judging by his expression.

“After all-“

Vladimir interrupted him.

“She can go,” he said firmly, fiddling with his phone as he spoke, “You can use one of the cars and our driver if you want, it won’t cost you anything.”

He glanced over his shoulder at Swain, who merely nodded.

“Thank you,” Alune said, gratitude evident in her tone.

“On one condition,” Vladimir added, “We can tell Aphelios what just happened.”

Alune froze where she sat for a moment, then she visibly slumped. Something had definitely happened then.

“Sure, fine, just…don’t make me look terrible.”

“Nothing you did or said was terrible,” Vladimir assured her, “Do whatever you need to get ready, the car will be ready when you are.”

Aphelios didn’t know how he felt about Alune leaving with this mystery still hanging over them. It looked like she was the cause and was feeling bad about it... but now she was just going? Didn’t she want to explain what happened herself if she was scared of looking bad? This didn’t make sense, even for a drunk Alune. From what had started as a very good afternoon, everything was now descending rapidly into a place of anxiety and doubt. Was he somehow responsible for this? Was that why everyone kept glancing at him? Had Alune got into an argument with Diana about him? Had she committed some sort of social faux-pas and it was his fault? He hated not knowing, but neither was he going to stop her going home if she wanted it. If she felt happier there, then so be it. However he really needed to know before his nerves got the best of him. What happened whilst they were upstairs? Why had the rest of Domination needed to leave? Why was Alune leaving?

“Everything’s ok,” she told him as he helped her back into her power chair, “Things might be a bit awkward for now, but’s going to be much better.”

 _“What do you mean?”_ he asked, “ _I don’t understand what’s going on.”_

“It’s going to be ok,” she told him simply. Once sat down, she was free to control her own movements once more. She gestured him down for one more hug, before putting her handbag in her lap and leaving. Aphelios watched her go, feeling no better for her cryptic reassurances. He watched her until she was out the door before turning back to the rest of the room.

_“What the hell is going on?”_

“I wish I knew,” Sett replied, glancing around at Aphelios’ bandmates and Swain, “We weren’t gone that long.”

“Well,” Ezreal managed, “It’s a bit of a…sensitive subject.”

Aphelios could tell that from how shaken up Alune was and the fact that Diana had apologised.

 _“And?”_ he prompted, sitting down with a wince but trying to look intimidating all the same. He could tell it wasn’t working. Vladimir took the armchair between the two sofas as Ezreal tried to think of what to say next. This also wasn’t like him. Usually Ezreal just said whatever came to mind, or at least it looked like he did. What was he so nervous about? Immensely unnerved, Aphelios just wanted an answer out of someone, anyone!

“It’s kind of-“

Suddenly Ezreal’s phone went off, filling the awkward tension of the room with a beepy chiptune version of some sort of theme song. Aphelios didn’t know what. He scrambled for it, glancing at the screen only for a second before pressing it to his ear.

“Hell-o, this is Ezreal speaking!”

Aphelios and Vladimir glanced at each other. This was distinctly not the time for a phone call. Especially not one so loud and excitable as Ezreal was being right now.

“Of course Mr Director! it’s such a pleasure to hear from you again! It’s like been what…three years? Can you believe it?!”

Ezreal leapt to his feet. He made a gesture of pointing to the phone, then to the door, and then ran out it. He left an increasingly awkward silence in his wake as they could hear him sprinting down the corridor, talking loudly all the way. Aphelios sat there, not sure what to do now as Ezreal’s voice slowly got quieter as he put what must be a considerable distance between them. Well, he’d also managed to escape from the tension in this room, but Aphelios was now even further from learning the truth of what was going on here. Perhaps luck had been on Ezreal’s side, allowing him to just peace out, but Aphelios didn’t have that luxury. He needed to know what had happened in here before his brain started coming up with nightmarish answers for all the questions he had.

“Is it just me?” Sett commented, “Or did he just go from zero to very American in the space of a few words?”

“He is American,” Vladimir replied, “Originally from Florida. Dual-citizen now - His accent shifts when he speaks to someone else from the States.”

Interesting but not relevant right now.

“ _What happened?”_ Aphelios insisted, frowning to show he meant business. Vladimir sighed and leant against the arm of his chair, pulling out his own phone. If he decided to take a call right now, Aphelios was going to be livid.

Fortunately, Vladimir did nothing of the sort.

“Your sister isn’t the only one who’s good at stealthily recording people on their phone,” he explained, “I didn’t think it fair that you wouldn’t know what was being said about you, even if you were having a wonderful time whilst absent.”

He eyed the marks on Aphelios’ neck.

“I haven’t had the time to edit this of course. Before I hit play, you might want to sit on Sett or something, for emotional support. This will be heavy listening for you.”

Before Aphelios could come up with a response for that, Sett decided to come join him instead. He sat in the spot Ezreal had vacated and gestured for Aphelios to draw close for a hug. As Aphelios did exactly that, it appeared Sett wasn’t the only partner in the room who was concerned for his boyfriend’s welfare.

“Are you sure you want to be here for this?” asked Swain from his distant seat, “Considering your reaction the first time, you can leave the recording here and go elsewhere.”

“I’m prepared for it now,” Vladimir replied, “Though I can come sit on you if you want?”

“Later, if you must,” Swain retorted, “Just pull off the plaster before this gets any more painful for your friend.”

That sounded ominous. Vladimir sighed again as he turned up the volume on his phone.

“Alright, here’s what happened. I didn’t catch their initial confrontation, but I got all the explanation afterwards. Brace yourself Aphelios, this will be…personal.”

Personal?

Personal didn’t even begin to describe it.

This wasn’t just personal. This was everything. Everything he tried not to think about, everything he begged not to show up in his nightmares, everything he wanted to forget about and move on from. Everything that had shaped the sort of person he was today. Alune had just gone and spilled their entire history. She’d shared their everything, the things that they’d always kept just between the two of them. Their past had always been their burden to bear. Doctors hadn’t cared. Police hadn’t cared. Keeping it all secret was just how they lived, out of necessity as much as hiding from any other Lunari. The pain, the isolation, the fact they’d only had each other for so many years… those were their truths, and only theirs’. He’d never thought about sharing them! Aphelios had always kept his thoughts, his trauma, bundled up so tight to his chest because he didn’t want to be treated like a victim. He and Alune wanted as normal a life for each other as possible. That meant they had to appear like normal people with normal childhoods. People who didn’t have breakdowns and nightmares because they’d escaped from cults and near-death experiences. He was a normal guy, trying to do normal things, even if that was being a popstar… He didn’t want special treatment by anyone, he just wanted to be respected for who he was. But now Alune had told them everything, Vladimir and Ezreal knew, the entirety of Domination knew now Sett was listening alongside him… He didn’t want to be treated differently. He didn’t want pity. He didn’t deserve pity! Neither did he want congratulating. Surviving everything he’d lived through wasn’t something to be proud of. He hadn’t been trying to achieve anything back then, he’d just wanted to live, to live and keep Alune living.

Why? Why Alune? They didn’t need to know. She could have lied, or been selective with her truth. But no, she’d given them everything, or everything she knew at least. Because there was more, more pain, more humiliation, more punishment, that he’d never had the courage to tell her about. Things had happened when she was safely away at boarding school. And the fact she had been safe there had made those events endurable. It was clear from her explanation that she still thought the world of him – that she was eternally grateful and guilty for everything he’d been through. She loved him and he understood that. Yet he couldn’t agree with what she’d done. Too much detail, just too much information! There were reasons, good reasons, why he had never shared and he didn’t want all his predictions to come true. There was a distinct difference, at least in his mind, between his bandmates respecting his needs, and his bandmates knowing exactly why his PTSD existed in the first place. They didn’t need to know! He liked how they’d been, he liked having them as friends, and he couldn’t imagine things would remain the same after this. They’d tiptoe around him, treat him like someone in need of coddling. His silence wouldn’t just be a thing they worked around, but a badge of his trauma, making them remember everything they’d just heard. A constant reminder than he was a damaged person who couldn’t live an ordinary life even if he tried. And Sett? How would Sett treat him now? Did he really want a boyfriend with so much emotional luggage? He didn’t want things to change when, for a blissful moment, they had become so good.

Vladimir’s recording ended with the sound of his footfalls as he ran to the bathroom. Something in Aphelios’ story had made Vladimir feel sick. Was he going to think of that every time he saw Aphelios now? Was this going to ruin them, not only as friends, but also as a band? Why why why… He was never meant to share any of this! Alune why! No, it wasn’t her fault. He had never shared any of these fears with her, just like he had only shared some of what their caretakers had done to him. She couldn’t know how scared he was of other people finding out. Maybe this was all his fault for not communicating with her properly. That was it! He’d doomed himself! He buried his face in Sett’s shoulder as he shook from head to toe. Sett immediately put his arms around him, lifting him into his lap so he could huddle even closer. Ok, so Sett seemed to like him at least a little bit still…

“Firstly,” announced Vladimir, as soon as the recording stopped, “I want to state that I would’ve tried to stop her if I thought I had any hope of doing so. I’ve learned over the years that trying to stop your sister, especially when she’s inebriated, is near impossible.”

He had a point there.

“Secondly, I will do everything in my power to keep this secret, including making no end of ‘gentleman’s agreements’.”

Vladimir shot a look at Swain over his shoulder. Aphelios remembered that a ‘gentleman’s agreements’ was what they called it when they did favours for each other in exchange for trying something different as part of sex. Vladimir was essentially saying he’d do whatever Swain wanted in their bedroom in exchange for help in this. It was a surprisingly profound announcement from Vladimir, considering how much he based his confidence on being in control.

“I will make sure none of this information leaves this house. Yes, I will go as far as drafting up written contracts,” Vladimir continued, sitting up straighter into a commanding pose, “Lastly, but most importantly, is this.”

He glanced at the door, perhaps wondering where Ezreal was for this, but he swiftly focussed his attention back on Aphelios.

“This changes nothing,” he stated, “In your position, I wouldn’t want the way my friends treated me to change. I wouldn’t want them to think less of me because of what I’ve survived. In fact, I would want them to respect me more for who I am today, because of what I’ve survived. Knowing **why** something does things the way it does, should not, and will not, diminish the appreciation that it **can** do the things it does. And that applies to people as well. We got an insight that you likely didn’t want us to have, and now it on us to know and appreciate that, and continue as we have been. Just slightly less like the jerks we’ve been in past. We should be changing that regardless of what we’ve heard.”

He slumped back into his chair.

“And I’ll repeat all of that to Ezreal when he deigns to return to our presence.”

Aphelios couldn’t help himself. A very watery laugh bubbled forth from his chest, partially muffled by Sett’s t-shirt. He wasn’t sure why he was laughing. He had a fairly good idea why he was crying – though both were rare sights from him. It was just… that explanation had been very Vladimir and the fact he’d done all that, and Ezreal was off in his own little world, was very Ezreal. The fact that Sett still wanted to hold him. Things hadn’t changed quite as much as he’d thought. Was he laughing from relief? Or had it all become too much and he’d just cracked?

“Ah, your laughter is adorable,” Vladimir sighed, “Another unobtainable treasure slips through my grasp.”

That only made Aphelios laugh harder. Very Vladimir. Maybe things weren’t going to change after all?

“Hey,” Sett said softly, making Aphelios look up at him, “You’re well in your rights to freak out over this. I would if someone decided to spillin’ out everything that had happened in my life. But if you want me here-“

 _“Of course I want you here,”_ he interrupted.

“Well, then I’m here then bunny,” Sett chuckled, “And even though I know you’ve been through hell and back, that’s not changed a thing. You’re as tough and strong as you are handsome and cute, and I’m still all yours as long as you want me.”

Ok now Aphelios was laughing, cry and blushing – he must look like an utter mess.

“He calls you bunny?” Vladimir asked teasingly.

“ _We have a habit of meeting when I’m dressed as a rabbit,”_ Aphelios explained, refusing to be embarrassed about that, “ _Surely you have some cute nicknames too?”_

He glanced at Swain before remembering that the man couldn’t sign. Sett however seemed to understand what he was trying to do.

“Yeah,” he agreed loudly and obviously, “What pet names do you get called Vladimir?”

Swain let out a huff of amusement. He sat up a little straighter in his chair, as if about to say something.

“No!” Vladimir exclaimed, before Swain could even open his mouth, jumping to his feet, “No, nope, no pet names here!”

Oh there were definitely some pet names here. However, he didn’t want to share, Aphelios wasn’t going to push. He expected he was probably going to learn a lot more about Vladimir’s relationship anyway with them both being in the same house for a while. He wiped his eyes on his shirt sleeve, still feeling shaken but at least a little better since he’d heard Vladimir’s recording. He was going to be having a long conversation with Alune when he went home. But for now, for now at least, he was feeling better about life going forwards. Vladimir didn’t seem to be acting any differently around him and neither did Sett. He just had to wait for Ezreal to come back and have that conversation. Thankfully, he didn’t have to delay that much longer.

“Guys! Guys! Band meeting NOW!”

Ezreal skidded into the room with a squeak of trainers on polished wooden floor. Once again, he was he was in that hyperactive state of excitement that either meant True Damage was around, or something equally exciting had happened.

“Is now really the time?” Vladimir asked, putting a hand on his hip, “You need to sit down so we can talk.”

“Talk later, meeting now,” Ezreal insisted, “We got noticed again and it’s BIG. Almost as big as True Damage maybe as big, but it’s unlike anything we’ve done before!”

“Let’s consider that after we’ve made sure Aphelios is ok,” Vladimir stated, “We’re not working at the moment, remember?”

“We don’t have to do anything for a while, but we need to decide on this by end of day if we want in,” Ezreal explained, “Don’t you want to be in a movie?”

Vladimir had opened his mouth to continue objecting, however he froze at the word ‘movie’. He turned to Aphelios.

“Are you in the right frame of mind for a band meeting?”

Aphelios took a moment to glance between Ezreal’s ecstatic grin and Vladimir’s thinly veiled exasperation. To be honest, he could do with a break and distraction right now.

 _“Sure,”_ he agreed, “ _But where do you want to have it?”_

“We’re going to need a projector,” Ezreal stated, “Oh, one that connect to my phone. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, don’t mind, I need to put some pics on the wall. The Director sent me a slideshow and everything.”

“We can set up one in here,” Vladimir said, pointing to the blank stretch of wall behind the tables full of empty platters. Aphelios saw them and realised he was actually quite hungry after everything he’d been through today.

 _“Can we have food at our meeting?”_ he asked as Vladimir texted someone to get him a projector.

“Oh yeah, I’m starved,” Sett agreed.

“Ah yes,” Vladimir stated, “Going at it like rabbits must really have exhausted you both. I’ll get more food brought up.”

Sett and Aphelios glanced at each other. Yeah, no point denying that. Ezreal started clearing trays and platters out of the way of where he wanted his presentation to be. As he did so, Swain got to his feet, crossing the room to where Vladimir was making orders.

“I have work to do,” he said quietly beside his fiancé, just about loud enough for Aphelios to hear from the adjacent sofa, “So I will leave you to your meeting. Come find me when you are finished, understand?”

“Perfectly,” Vladimir murmured back, “I’ve got some bargains to make after all.”

He kissed him on the cheek, making Swain raise one imperious eyebrow at him before sweeping out the room.

 _“Those two are really weird,”_ Sett signed at Aphelios whilst Vladimir had his back to them, _“And really kinky from what I’ve gathered. You know, apart from what we saw.”_

 _“That’s what I’ve heard too, from Vladimir himself,”_ Aphelios replied, just in time before Vladimir turned back to face the room again. Seeming satisfied with piling the trays up to one side, Ezreal gestured for them to take seats facing that wall, just as staff with the projector arrived to set him up for it.

“All right!” Ezreal exclaimed, when the projector was going and Sett and Aphelios had been handed plates full of sandwiches and crisps. Ezreal took what looked like his housekeys from his belt and selected a keyring from the many assorted lumps of colourful plastic there. His keyring of choice turned out to be a laser pointer, but not just any laser pointer. When he shone the end at the wall, it projected a pink four-pointed star rather than a dot. Aphelios was sure he’d seen that particular star symbol somewhere before, maybe just in passing for he couldn’t remember where. Regardless, Ezreal was definitely using it was a laser pointer for his presentation.

“First let’s start with some photos!” Ezreal clicked something on his phone screen and suddenly they were looking at his Instagram on the wall. More specifically, photos of Ezreal in cosplay. Aphelios immediately noticed the same star symbol on Ezreal’s outfit. Star Guardian! That’s what that symbol was for. Ezreal had tried to make him watch one of those films once. He’d fallen asleep pretty much immediately.

“That’s you,” Vladimir stated, clearly unimpressed, “We’ve seen you.”

“Yes!” Ezreal proclaimed, undeterred, “And these photos are why we have been offered such an amazing job! You see, a few years ago I was asked to step in for an official Star Guardians photoshoot because one of their actors got arrested for accidental diamond smuggling charges!”

Wait, what? Aphelios frowned at him. Accidental diamond smuggling charges?

“It just so happened that I was doing well in the cosplay scene at the time, and looked a lot like the actor in question,” Ezreal explained, “So without Jarro Lightfeather around, I filled his place and it was great! The director already knew I was a massive fan of the Star Guardians, so he got in contact with me personally and I did the whole tour, it was fantastic!”

Vladimir rolled his eyes rather melodramatically.

“Please don’t tell me this is going where I think it’s going,” he griped.

“It’s going exactly where you think it’s going!” Ezreal said gleefully, “The Director rang me up after all these years because guess what?!”

He didn’t give them any time to guess.

“They’re making a new Star Guardian movie! And they need a boyband for it!”

Vladimir tossed back his head in a flurry of white hair and groaned.

“Live action Star Guardian movies are utter garbage!” he proclaimed.

“Wrong!” Ezreal exclaimed, raising one hand as if he was politician making an inspiring speech, “The first live action Star Guardian movie was amazing. Then they switched to another studio with much lower budgets. The following two live action Star Guardian movies were utter garbage. But good news!”

He changed something on his phone screen and suddenly they were looking at a giant logo.

“Star Guardians is back with their original studio!”

He stretched out his arms in a kind of ta-da pose. Aphelios, who knew nothing about Star Guardians, their movies, and whether they were garbage or not, just ate crisps and watched.

“And the budget is HUGE!” Ezreal continued, clicking onwards through his presentation, “And they’re ready to tell a story that never made it to the other movies, or even got made into the anime!”

Vladimir was audible muttering to himself but Ezreal seemed to be ignoring him.

“And now the Star Guardians are back with a story freshly reimagined from the golden age of Star Guardians!”

“The Nineties,” Vladimir supplied.

“The Nineties!” Ezreal repeated, “Before the original writer died and we got subjected to no end of heteronormative bullshit!”

And this was one of Ezreal’s favourite series? Aphelios was now thinking about all the things he’d seen Ezreal own with those stars on. Socks, notebooks, keyrings, Funko Pops, t-shirts, lanyards, oh and that lampshade in his living room… He was distracted from his list as Ezreal moved on through his presentation and showed them three book covers and some manga illustrations.

“The new film, working title “Star Guardians Encore!” takes its plot from a cult classic plot arc of the original Star Guardians manga. This arc never made it into the anime due to the closeted views of the anime’s producers, but the fans love this storyline due to its sympathetic character arcs, great attention of slice of life and… this arc’s villains – the corrupted boyband known as IDOL*STAR!”

The next slide loaded and presented the room with many pictures of the same three men, in varying states of undress. They were in bird cages for half the pictures, carefully obscured with branches of flowers. In others they were clearly performing in front of microphones wearing very tight clothes and bearing ridiculously complicated hairstyles.

“Where’s their nipples?” asked Sett through a mouthful of sandwich. Aphelios blinked at the wall again. Wait, those men had no nipples!

“Age rating technicalities perhaps,” Vladimir replied, “So what you’re tell me, is that because the Director for this film knows who you are, and that you’re now part of a three-man boyband. They want us to come and play this… Idol Star.”

“Yes!” Ezreal exclaimed excitedly, “They wanted a genuine boyband to play the boyband. And partially they want us because they know me but… well, they wanted a boyband where it would be ok if one member didn’t speak. Because one of the members of IDOL*STAR gets his voice taken away because he keeps crying out for help, it’s this whole tragic thing and I love it. There’s this bit in the manga, when he manages to escape, but he can’t talk of course, but when the Star Guardians ask him how he managed to free himself from the corruption, he just writes “I love them too much” and it’s SO CUTE! ”

Ah, thought Aphelios. Well, he respected the Director’s choice to have a mute musician playing the mute musician. This still seemed very different to what they usually did. But if it was mostly performing on a stage, or looking pretty trapped in a birdcage, then perhaps it wouldn’t be too much to learn?

“The Director says it’s finally ready to bring this arc out of hiding!” Ezreal continued, “Because this definitely gay and probably polyamorous boyband were a bit too much for the general public back then, but modern audiences are going to love them! And that could be us! US! We’d also get to do our own cover of the theme song!”

Aphelios didn’t really have any objections to this, so looked at Vladimir, who looked like he had strong opinions on the matter.

“But the band are the villains of this arc, correct?” Vladimir asked Ezreal.

“Yes! The point is that this innocent boyband got corrupted by the Dark Star Guardians when they learned the Star Guardians spent most of their time as normal school-going teenagers. And what better way to influence normal school-going teenagers than a hot boyband that tours the country, hypnotising teenagers into become their army! Of course the Star Guardians would be immune to this, so the Dark Guardians can finally discover the secret identities of the Star Guardians once and for all!”

“Right,” Vladimir mused, “Show me more pictures of them being evil. Do they look like nineties anime villains? Will we look like nineties anime villains?”

“They’ll modernise it, but yes, we will look like stereotypical villains,” Ezreal replied, showing them yet more pictures.

“I’ve always felt like it’s been my destiny to be a queer-coded villain in something,” Vladimir stated, as he took in picture after picture, “Which one would I be.”

“That one, the leader,” Ezreal pointed at the tallest member of IDOL*STAR, a curly man with clear love for tight trousers and high collars.

“He does most the singing, and all the evil monologues. Also has the largest number of outfits.”

Vladimir glanced over his shoulder at Aphelios and Sett, who just blinked back at him.

“I have conditions,” he stated.

Ezreal gave a little gasp of excitement.

“Is that a yes?!” he exclaimed.

“It’s a yes, with conditions,” Vladimir replied firmly, “One, I definitely get to play the leader and do the in-movie singing. However, two, I want Aphelios to do the cover of the theme song.”

Aphelios frowned slightly.

“ _What, why?”_

“I’ve heard the Star Guardian theme; it would work better with his voice. Also, as he doesn’t get to speak in the movie, it would give him somewhere to show off his talents as well. Besides, having the tragically mute character get his voice back to sing the song would be poetic.”

“I will suggest that!” Ezreal exclaimed, “Aah, this is so cool! We’re going to be in Star Guardians! Us! We’re going to be a part of Pop Culture!””

“As villains,” Vladimir reminded him, “Don’t forget that.”

Ezreal flicked through the rest of the presentation, decided that was boring, before settling down in a nearby seat. Aphelios took this opportunity to start on his sandwiches now he’d determined he didn’t really have anything to add to this conversation.

“Why do you want to be a villain all the time?” Ezreal asked Vladimir, toying with his jangling keyrings.

“What are you talking about?” Vladimir asked, pulling out his own phone and beginning to browse. He sank into his armchair and turned so he lay across the seat, back on one armrest, legs dangling over the other.

“You really like the idea of being a villain,” Ezreal continued, “I mean, you only agreed to that when you realised you were going to play a villain. You said you wanted to be a queercoded villain in something at some point and oh, your cyberpunk character for our concept album is a villain too! What’s up with you and villains?”

“Nothing in particular,” Vladimir retorted, though his voice had risen in volume and his tone was sharp, “Villains have more fun that’s all. What’s more enjoyable? Making the mess or cleaning it up?”

“Definitely making it,” Sett commented.

“See, he agrees with me,” Vladimir said, gesturing towards Sett, “Villains get to have more fun and let the heroes just mop up after them.”

“But heroes get all the good things,” Ezreal objected, “Like making friends, starting families and falling in love. They get to wield the power of friendship! They get to experience the wonder of discovering the world is more than they thought it was before. They get cool role models and supportive fluffy animal friends. And then they get popular and people love and praise them all the time! Wouldn’t you rather have that? Wouldn’t you have people adore you rather hate you?”

Vladimir clicked his nail extensions together as he picked a piece of fluff out of his hair.

“Only if they fit a mould,” he replied, “You have to be a very specific type of person for society to praise you. A villain though. A villain can be whatever they want to be, because they’ve already been rejected by society. You can stride over the lines of convention – wear what you want, do what you want, play with gender and sexuality to your hearts content. Villains don’t have to pretend they’re happy normal people, they can be their complicated selves in all their messy glory, with no need to pretend they’re not damaged goods. Villains know freedom, and the price of that freedom is so heavy. But it’s worth it, even for that little while.”

“But heroes get to win!” Ezreal said earnestly.

“What’s the point of winning if you don’t get to truly live?” Vladimir retorted. He turned his head to glance at Aphelios who was staring at him with wide eyes.

“Don’t psychoanalyse me.”

 _“I wasn’t,”_ Aphelios lied.

He was most definitely running those statements past everything he knew about Vladimir. On one hand, Vladimir was fond of the melodramatic. He might just like villains because it the controversial and most attention-grabbing thing to say. However, Aphelios now had his doubts. Vladimir certainly wasn’t one to fit a mould, he railed against being fit into someone else’s perception of how he should act. Just look at how he’d behaved around True Damage. The words that stuck out to Aphelios most were the ones about villains being allowed to be complicated and messy. Vladimir was undoubtedly complicated and messy, with a past they already knew to be painful. Did Vladimir think of himself as damaged goods? Aphelios certainly thought the label worked well for himself so he wasn’t going to judge.

It turned out they hadn’t even finished the scripts for the new Star Guardians film yet, so they didn’t really need to think about it again until next year. However that meant their distraction was swiftly over and Aphelios was back to thinking about everything that happened today. Ezreal vanished again to go call the Director back and Vladimir wandered off, no doubt to go and bother Swain whilst he was working. That left Aphelios and Sett to find their own entertainment in the large and now empty room. Instead, they opted to go back upstairs to Aphelios’ room and relax.

“How’d they get in here so fast?” asked Sett, when they entered the room to find that the bedding had already been changed. Aphelios was kind of glad it had been. There wasn’t anywhere to sit comfortably in here other than the bed. He wasn’t sure he wanted to sit on his own, well… He cast about for something else to occupy his thoughts, when suddenly he realised he’d forgotten something. It was still Sett’s birthday!

 _“I have presents for you!”_ he declared, trying to reach his extra bag without getting off the bed. This resulted in an awkward sort of roll, but he got there in the end.

“You mean, you weren’t my present?” Sett teased as Aphelios pulled the bag up onto the bed with him.

 _“I was one of your presents,”_ Aphelios told him with a smile, “ _But I got you actual gifts to unwrap.”_

He handed Sett three small packages wrapped in colourful striped paper.

_“Sorry if they’re a bit odd. I wasn’t sure what to get you that you couldn’t just buy for yourself.”_

“If it’s from you, I’m sure I’ll love it,” Sett told him, giving him a grateful kiss as Aphelios drew closer once more, presents obtained. He unwrapped the first of the gifts to reveal a small black box with an ornate golden logo on the top. Frowning slightly in confusion, Sett opened the top to find a neat set of business card sized invitations and a folded piece of paper with a fancy gold trim.

 _“I thought you might want something special to do with your mother when you got back, you know, to catch up and tell her about everything,”_ Aphelios explained as Sett unfolded the piece of paper and read the certificate-like contents. Aphelios felt like he’d made a bad gift by just buying Sett an experience style package. However it was afternoon tea at an incredibly fancy hotel, and that did seem to be the sort of thing Sett and his Ma would enjoy doing together.

“Holy shit,” Sett gasped, “Holy shit bunny, my Ma’s going to go bonkers when I tell her about this. She loves dressing up all smart and going places. And she loves making sure I dress up all smart to go places. This’ll be the best catch up ever. Does really say unlimited food?”

 _“In your time slot, but yes,”_ Aphelios replied, “ _I thought it might be nice since you’ve spent so much time away lately.”_

“Yeah, of course!” Sett carefully put the box down only to wrap Aphelios in the biggest of bear hugs, “You’re so thoughtful Phel, this so damn cool. My Ma’s going to be over the moon and when she’s happy I’m happy and this is just…wow.”

His voice actually cracked as he spoke.

“You got to come meet her someday. She’s probably gonna think you’re the cutest thing and fuss you a bunch, but it’ll be great, I promise.”

 _“I’d like that,”_ Aphelios managed, after squeezing free enough to sign once more, _“And one day you can come visit Alune and I when…well, when nothing dramatic is happening.”_

“That sounds great,” Sett said, already starting on his next present. He pulled out another small box, but this was one was plastic and see-through, with what looked like a pair of over-sized ear buds and a lot of silicon inside.

 _“They’re noise-cancelling earbuds, for next time you’ve got to travel about and you don’t want to hear your band argue,”_ Aphelios explained, “ _But they’re ones specially made for Vastayan ears, they’ve got these soft sliding clip things that keep them in place without hurting your ears.”_

“Oh!” Sett said, enthusiastically opening the box with a slight crunch of plastic, “I heard about these but you don’t get ‘em in this country much. I used to use regular cheapo buds and paperclips when I was younger, boy is that not good for your ears.”

That sounded painful!

“Ah hell, this is so neat, thank you!” Sett exclaimed, looking at the different silicon-coated clips that could be attached to either the ear buds or the wire, “Damn, I could’ve done with some of these over the last months. You really are so considerate… and so much better at gifts than I am. You gotta help me come Christmas!”

“ _I’m sure I can do that,”_ Aphelios promised, _“I’m glad you like them.”_

“I love ‘em,” Sett assured him with another kiss to match. He fiddled with his new headphones for a while before remembering his last present. Aphelios didn’t mind that he’d forgotten about it. It was just a silly thing he’d seen in a gift shop in London before the True Damage gig.

 _“I thought it looked a bit like yours,”_ he commented, as Sett pulled out the little chocolate motorcycle in its flame-patterned display box. It was dark chocolate with chilli in it, and it certainly reminded Aphelios of Sett’s motorbike in all his Instagram photos.

“Yeah, it’s a Harley like mine,” Sett chuckled, “That’s cute, and it’s spicy chocolate, that’s got to be fun to try later.”

They didn’t get round to trying the spicy chocolate that day, largely in fact due to the immensity of dinner. It appeared that Domination still didn’t really want to sit near each other, for instead of having a sit-down dinner like Aphelios had anticipated, the manor staff produced another buffet style meal for everyone to enjoy. Thankfully he and Sett made it on time for that one, being some of the first down to get the first choice the dozens of hot dishes waiting for them. Sett did indeed locate the fancy steak within a matter of minutes and perhaps took more than his fair share. Aphelios was happy to let him have his portion too, steak wasn’t exactly his favourite, not when there were so many other things to choose from.

No matter how good the food was, there was still a definite air of awkwardness around the proceedings. Aphelios didn’t know whether that was because of him and Alune, or whether something else had happened that he wasn’t aware of to make the room tense. It could possibly be that the members of Domination were all simply sick of the sight of each other by now and were only really there for the food. They certainly didn’t talk to each other much, or any of the members of Uninhibited either. Everyone mostly ate in silence and looked at their phones until they had an excuse to leave. They didn’t even sing happy birthday to Sett, despite the fact there was a cake for him just as Aphelios asked. Everyone just ate their cake and left.

 _“Have you all fallen out?”_ Aphelios ended up asking Sett.

 _“After over a year of near-constant touring, you get pretty sick of each other,”_ he replied, _“Don’t worry, give it a month or so and we’ll go out for drinks and be friends again.”_

 _“Touring sounds really stressful,”_ Aphelios commented, _“We should plan for that when we go.”_

Sett nodded in agreement.

_“Yeah, I recommend doing a couple of short ones first, just to make sure you don’t start wanting to strangle each other.”_

All in all, Aphelios was rather glad to leave the tension in the lounge and go back upstairs. Sett followed, having had his stuff moved to Aphelios’ room by now. They spent a pleasant evening just cuddling and showing each other cool videos and pictures they had on their phones. Aphelios showed Sett some of the best Yuumi photos he had – mostly taken by Alune, including that one video where Yuumi tried to fit her head in a toilet roll tube to not much success. Sett showed him a series of amazing animations that Domination fans had done for bits of their songs, including one Sett especially liked because they’d turned him into a superhero. This led Aphelios to tell him about their potential animated concept album, and they spent a happy hour or so talking about what his robot-self could do before weariness finally got the best of him

Breakfast in your own room seemed to be the plan for the next day. A member of staff came and knocked on the door to Aphelios’ room. When Sett answered, he was presented with a small list of potential breakfasts and asked to choose. Aphelios had no objections to breakfast in bed as Sett asked him what he wanted. They ended up both getting bacon and maple syrup pancakes and having them sat up in bed. The kitchen staff seemed to have anticipated this for their food was brought up on trays with little fold out legs.

“Don’t think I’d want this to be my life,” Sett commented, “But these rich arseholes do know how to enjoy a good meal.”

Aphelios smiled. This certainly wasn’t the lengths Vladimir went to when it was just Uninhibited visiting.

“ _I think Vladimir likes having guests. You should have seen all the preparations before you arrived. It was like an army had descended on the place.”_

After breakfast, Sett wanted to find the gym that Katarina had mentioned yesterday. Aphelios, who had never seen the place either, volunteered to help him find it. Nothing in this mansion was signposted or easy to find, Aphelios knew that already. So he had no idea why he thought they could find the gym between them. They found a number of other rooms he didn’t know existed before. Sett reasoned that the gym would be on the ground floor, near the pool and perhaps with the choice to go running in the garden. If it was, it had been hidden from them. Instead they found a large conservatory, big enough to host a wedding, and several smaller lounges and living spaces that had clearly gone unused for a long time judging by the fact all the furniture was covered in dust sheets. In fact the only rooms in use on the lowest level appeared to be the entrance way and the rooms used to throw parties. There were, of course, the staff only places, but at least those were either locked or had people to tell them to move on. The upper floors were much the same story. Aphelios didn’t know where Ezreal’s guest room was, or where Vladimir slept, but they didn’t try to barge in anywhere obviously locked or much too fancy to pry into. They found a library so grand that it looked like it had leapt out of a fantasy film. It had the little wheeled ladders that enabled you to glide about the shelves, and more desk and study space than two people could ever possibly need. They also found what looked like an artist’s studio – one of the few rooms that seemed actually to be in use, for there were fresh sets of paints and multiple easels positioned throughout the room. One of the easels bore a painted canvas, but the picture seemed incomplete. They stared long and hard at it, trying to work out who the woman depicted in it was. She was a pale woman with dark hair neatly swept up into a bun. Her hair and her clothing – a crisp white blouse with a golden broach on her breast pocket, were drawn in immaculate detail. So realistic that Aphelios was sure he could see how individual strands of her hair caught the imaginary light. Yet her face, her face was a blur of paint. Shadows had been added where a person’s eyes, nose and mouth would be. But they could be anyone’s features, a rough outline of what a face should be. Everything else about this portrait was so precise yet this face, it was almost unnerving in how vague and blurred it was.

“It’s like a hole,” Sett commented, when Aphelios pointed out how bizarre it was, “Like the painter knows what everything else looks like, but no told him about the face. Who d’you reckon painted it?”

Well it could only be Swain or Vladimir, which left the question. Was this a project of Vladimir’s, or had Swain left it behind before he went on tour? 

“Do you think it’s the same guy who did the big painting in the hall?” asked Sett, who was now glancing around the room as if it held further clues.

“ _No,”_ Aphelios mused, _“Or at least I don’t think so. This painting is in acrylic paint…the one in the hall is in oils and looks a bit different.”_

It had been a long time since GCSE Art, but Aphelios could read paint labels. The tubes on the table beside this easel said acrylic on them, and he was fairly sure Vladimir’s hall portrait was an oil painting in the style of portraits of old. It could be the same artist, adapting to a different medium, but Aphelios somehow didn’t think so. His assumption was that the one in the hallway had been commissioned, whilst this was born from a hobby.

“Hey, look at these!” exclaimed Sett. Aphelios crossed the room to find that Sett had opened one of the many sliding cupboard doors lining the walls. This one in particular seemed to be full of incomplete paintings, still on their easels. They were all portraits, all in the same style as the one they’d just seen, and all missing their faces. Hair, clothing, jewellery, backgrounds, all beautifully created in paint, but every single one just had shadows and blurs where their features should be.

“ _It’s a bit creepy when there’s a lot of them,”_ Aphelios commented, _“I think I might have read a description for a horror movie with something like this.”_

“Yeah, now you mention it, I might’ve seen that movie,” Sett replied, “Let’s just… leave ’em to it. Maybe the-“

Whatever he was about to suggest was cut off by the sound of his ringtone – a loud and ferocious blast of music that was probably something Domination played.

“Hey-o,” Sett stated, pressing his phone to ear, “Oh hi Swain, what’s up?”

Had they been caught snooping?

“Yeah he is, do you want me to put you on speaker?” Sett continued, he removed his phone from his ear and tapped the surface. Swain’s voice suddenly echoed loudly from the speaker. Sett hastily turned the volume down.

**“Aphelios, could you please join us in the garden house outside? You’ll find it just past the koi pond, follow the slate path until you see a hexagonal grey building. Please come alone.”**

It didn’t sound like he was being given much choice in the matter. By ‘we’ he assumed this was Swain and Vladimir. He nodded and Sett relayed:

“He says yes, he can. You want him now?”

“ **Please** ,” Swain replied.

 _“Tell him I’ll set off now,”_ Aphelios signed to Sett, “ _Why not ask him where the gym is?”_

“Good idea,” said Sett, “He says he’s coming right over. Where’s your gym by the way?”

As Swain gave Sett directions to the gym – which turned out to be in the same external building as the changing rooms for the outdoor pool, Aphelios head off back downstairs. He was faintly confused as to why they wanted him to come by himself. Was this about something that was said yesterday? If so, Vladimir would understand he’d like to have Sett there for emotional support. So if it wasn’t that, what could they want with him? And why so far out in the garden? Aphelios had to grab his jacket before he made his way out into the enormous manor grounds. He followed the slate path as instructed, passing many ornamental flowerbeds, an aviary full of noisy ravens, and the aforementioned koi pond. Eventually he found the garden house, a large grey structure that was raised above the ground and only accessible by a small set of wooden stairs. It was been covered in wooden planks on the outside to make it look like some quaint garden shed. It was in fact half the size of Aphelios and Alune’s bungalow, and looked like it had both power and running water, judging by the tanks and cables between the stone pillars it stood on. Halfway up the stairs, he was greeted by a buzz as an intercom system, buried in a nearby hedge, whirred itself into life.

 **“The door is unlocked, enter and lock it behind you,”** came Swain’s voice.

Ok, this was getting really ominous.

Trusting that Vladimir wouldn’t let any harm come to him, Aphelios did as he was told. He entered, then turned the latch on the door, locking himself inside. There was a small hallway once inside, where Aphelios saw two sets of shoes. He added his own to the stand before approaching the only door leading off this hall.

The entirety of the rest of this garden house seemed to be an enormous lounge come entertainment area. As he entered, he found himself face to face with a raised dais containing a giant hot-tub, easily fitting at least a dozen people. The cover was currently on it, but it was faintly bubbling to show that it was soon to be used. Around the hot tub were various seats and benches, with plenty of tables lit by eclectically shaped lamps. The lighting in here was distinctly odd – all the glass and shades were dark, giving the room a moody atmosphere, but the lights… the lights were really odd shapes. One was made of stained-glass tiles, formed into the rough shape of a pair of cherries. There was a lamp shaped like a pair of lips that glowed bright red from one of the walls. There were lamp stands shaped like people where the shades were their skirts or their hats. Apart from the skirts, most of these lamp people were naked. Aphelios hurried out of the weird hot tub area and into the far more normal space beyond it. He spotted an empty black bar against one wall, the glass cupboards behind it devoid of bottles. The seating on this side were more gathering together, circles of couches around circular coffee tables. It was at one of these little arrangements that Vladimir and Swain sat. They had an armchair each, but their armchairs were pushed up against each other. As Aphelios approached, he was gestured into another armchair, opposite them.

Now he felt like he was being interviewed. Trying to work out what the hell was going on, Aphelios looked at the coffee table between them. It was covered with the accoutrements for a stereotypical afternoon tea – tiered platters of cakes, sandwiches and biscuits. Large gilded teapots on trays with matching cups, saucers, sugar bowls and milk jugs. They’d invited him out here for afternoon tea? It wasn’t afternoon, but that was beside the point, why were they being so secretive and ominous if they just wanted to share tea and cake?

“Small amount of milk, no sugar, correct?” Vladimir asked, passing him a cup and saucer. Aphelios took it with a grateful nod, his hands too occupied to give thanks. As he sipped at his tea, Aphelios finally noticed something that wasn’t refreshment related. At the edge of the table closest to Vladimir was a small stack of leather-bound books, each closed with elastic or a leather strap. Some of them looked quite beat up and dog-eared, which Aphelios took to mean they were quite old. Atop the pile was a black device Aphelios recognised as a Dictaphone. He stared at it for a moment, remembering that Vladimir had recorded Alune’s storytelling on his phone. Why did he specifically need a Dictaphone if his mobile was an option? Well Alune had one for university so she didn’t drain the life out of her phone over the course of the day – was that it?

“I imagine you’re confused as to why we summoned you here,” Swain stated. The way he sat in his winged armchair, arms on their rests, posture perfectly straight, made him an intimidating sight to behold. He looked highly authoritative, almost regal, as he surveyed Aphelios and the table before him. Despite being in his own garden, he was dressed incredibly smartly – a crisp black shirt underneath a burgundy waistcoat with fine gold buttons, along with a pair of black suit trousers. Over the top he wore a long black formal coat with a high collar, his arms clearly weren’t in the sleeves, giving him an intimidating almost vampiric-like air, as if the coat was an enormous black cloak. It was then that Aphelios noticed that Swain wore a singular black leather glove, all the way up to his elbow on one arm. His other hand was exposed, and wearing a thick golden ring, however the other was obscured by shiny black leather. Why was that, Aphelios wondered.

“Partially, so you could take tea with us,” Swain continued, gesturing at the table with his gloved hand, “However the main purpose of this gathering is to do some cataloguing of sorts.”

He gestured to Vladimir, who instantly took over the explanation.

Vladimir was also dressed to the nines – though Aphelios had come to expect that of him. He was wearing a long v-neck red jumper that fit him so well it was likely tailored. Vladimir had added a white and gold belt to his waist to fit the jumper tunic-style over a pair of striped red leggings. Aphelios noted with some amusement that he was wearing Uninhibited branded socks. However that did nothing to diminish the fact he felt like he was sitting across from an incredibly powerful, incredibly stylish, couple who could intimidate him without even trying.

“Yesterday,” Vladimir explained, “I remembered something whilst listening to Alune tell your life’s story. That is why I ran from the room, and why I was ill, it was not due to anything you or Alune have done. It was because the events told triggered a memory that I had long kept buried for my own sanity.”

Ok. Aphelios appreciated having that cleared up, but he felt there was a lot more where this was coming from.

“Due to that memory,” Vladimir continued, “I have some insight, some reassurances, that I can give to you about the events you have lived through. Because it turns out our pasts aren’t quite as entirely separate as I once thought.”

What? Aphelios stared at him. How on earth could their histories be related?

“However the memory returning also brought another fact into sharp relief,” Vladimir stated, “Something I’ve known for quite some time but… I don’t like to acknowledge if I can help it. Whilst you, as far as I understand it, tend to internalise what you suffer, my mind came up with a different means to manage my trauma. It simply, forgets, whatever would bring me too much pain to remember.”

Vladimir picked up the first of the little leather-bound books off the table. He didn’t open it, merely fiddled with the elastic strap keeping it closed.

“When Swain realised my memory was affected by my...trauma, he had me write as much as I could down,” he elaborated, “From then on, I made sure to chronicle my efforts in these diaries to make sure I never truly forget anything that made me who I am. Yet, after yesterday, and the realisation that I had indeed forgotten something that was now important...I revisited them.”

He swept his hair back from his face with a small sigh.

“And there were matters, so many matters that I had no recollection of. It frightened me, that months, years even, could leave me so rapidly. How can someone have true control of their surroundings if they can’t even control their mind?”

“That’s not entirely correct,” Swain interjected, “But go on.”

“After hearing your story yesterday Aphelios,” Vladimir continued, “After suddenly remembering something I had long forgot… my mind has been fixated on a single goal. I wish to collect everything about myself, my own story, into one complete narrative. I know more about you than you ever intended, so it only seemed fair that you be here too as I try to piece everything together, especially when some of my memories are relevant to you. Before we get there however, I want to map out my own story, try to collect my own life, with the only two witnesses that I trust to help me without judging . With my diaries, with my friend, with my fiancé beside me, with a means of recording everything, I hope we can create something cohesive. Because… I’m scared of forgetting again. I don’t want to lose anything else.”

Now Aphelios understood why they were so far from the house, why he’d been asked to come alone, and why there was a Dictaphone here. This was, quite frankly, a lot to take in at once. He’d been surprised and honoured when Vladimir had shared some of his personal life with him the first time – though that had been part of a game of Qs and As. He understood that Vladimir didn’t like knowing private things about people without giving something in return – he considered it a bizarre form of debt. That, culminating with the fact that some of Vladimir’s history was relevant to Aphelios, was likely why he was here. Also it felt kind of nice for Vladimir to finally admit they were friends out loud.

 _“I’ll help however I can,”_ he promised, _“Even if it’s just as someone to listen.”_

Vladimir repeated this for Swain’s sake, before adding:

“Thank you, Aphelios. I’m sure you understand that nothing said here should leave this room. Swain will also be contributing to this little gathering exercise, because there are things he remembers that I don’t and… well, to provide context.”

Whatever was going to be said here, Aphelios was sure it was going to be enlightening. There was no denying that Vladimir, as a person, was decidedly odd. He was sure Vladimir would say the same about him. However Vladimir now understood, or at least could infer, why Aphelios acted like he did. He couldn’t say the same for Vladimir. So whilst he still felt rather intimidated in front of these two, he was going to do his best. He was Vladimir’s friend after all, and if Vladimir wanted him here for this, who was he to refuse?

Vladimir set down the diary in his lap and reached forward to set off the Dictaphone. He then picked up his own cup of tea and an iced biscuit.

“As this is a story of sorts,” Vladimir began, “It makes sense to start where it starts. I have very few memories of this time, I don’t know if its because I was a child, or if anything particular traumatic happened then. But I have the facts – I was the seventh child of an oil tycoon, supposedly from his wife instead of one of his many mistresses, but that’s hardly relevant. I only interacted with my parents for events when they needed to appear like a model family – I assume after seven offspring; the novelty wears off. Especially when so many some from adultery. I don’t remember my family home at all, if there was much to remember. I was put in a boarding school on the outskirts of Moscow aged five. During the holidays I was cared for by a nanny. This continued until I was thirteen, when I was carted abroad to Eton, with the prospect that I would become multi-lingual and finally be an asset to my father.”

Aphelios’ mind was already reeling. It wasn’t too much of a surprise that Vladimir was Russian. Also, sadly, it didn’t come as much of a shock that Vladimir had distant if not non-existent parents. Aphelios had wondered how you fell in love with a man old enough to be your father – if you’d never really experienced a parental bond, then maybe it was easier? What had truly caught Aphelios’ attention however, was the mention that Vladimir’s father was an oil tycoon. According to his Wikipedia entry, Swain was most famous for causing what was known as the “Oil Raid Scandal” – exposing a trio of corrupt British politicians who were using criminal gang networks to threaten foreign oil barons. Vladimir’s parentage and Swain’s dealings were not going to be coincidences, of that Aphelios were sure.

Vladimir flicked his hair out of his face with a sigh.

“Once I was here in the UK, my parents stopped bothering to bring me home for the holidays at all. This wasn’t really a bad thing – if the school closed at all, my parents would just pay for me to be shoved in a hotel. This resulted in copious amounts of unrestrained free time that fuelled by adolescent curiosity no end. Whatever the case, everything was decidedly average until my sixteenth year. Then it became decidedly unaverage when a group of gunmen burst into our dorm and kidnapped me.”

Oh. At Rift Fest, Vladimir had mentioned he’d been forced to talk for his life aged sixteen – this was clearly why.

“I was taken hostage, and sequestered, I would learn later, underneath a London nightclub. My captors sent my father multiple demands in exchange for my release. This is something I remember from time to time, usually when I least want to. Mostly feelings – the cold, the wet, the fear, the smell of blood and urine and neat alcohol. I get phantom pains in my hands, from when they ripped off my nails.”

He looked at his own hands and the long fake nail extensions there. Wordlessly, Swain reached over and took his free hand in his, rubbing his thumb over Vladimir’s knuckles. Vladimir smiled at him, the most gentle and genuine smile Aphelios had ever seen on the man’s face. ‘Sweet’ wasn’t a term Aphelios would usually use for Vladimir, but it was true. The expression he gave Swain was one of genuine gratitude and affection. It was sweet.

“I don’t know how long they kept me like that,” Vladimir continued, setting down his tea and keeping a hold of Swain’s hand, “However they underestimated how much my father cared. To him, it seemed, the answer was simple. A gang can’t keep your son hostage, they can’t threaten your son’s life if…well, the hostage is no longer your son. Rather than giving them anything, he-he disowned me. And left me to die.”

How could anyone do that to their child?! Vladimir’s next breath was a shaky one, however he ploughed on regardless.

“That I remember. The moment they told me, the moment I knew of his betrayal. I’ve never known anything else like it. In that moment, in those seconds, I felt the sheer immensity of the world around me. I’d never felt so small, so insignificant, so aware that I was one fleeting life among billions that would carry on regardless of whether I lived or I died. That, that was true loneliness. Perhaps only found in the face of death. I felt like I had become unmoored from reality, from the rest of the world around me. A single light that no one could see, about to go out, and no one would mourn my passing. The tiny storeroom suddenly seemed as large as a field. The people surrounding me so far away. Yet I was hyperaware of my own being down the finest details – my heartbeat, I swear I could feel the blood rushing through my veins. It was vast yet tiny at the same time, almost transcendent, all because of a few words.”

 _“I know that feeling,”_ Aphelios commented before he could stop himself.

Vladimir opened his mouth in slight surprise.

 _“When… When I was lying face down in that ditch, praying that no one would find us. I never felt more alone,”_ Aphelios explained, _“The world felt so big, and I was just one soul who nobody would mourn, nobody would miss. The gunmen were so close, but they seemed so far away and… I was so scared, so aware of my breathing, my beating heart, I swore that they would invite death sooner.”_

As Aphelios’ heart raced, almost panic-stricken for admitting it, Vladimir fixed him with that gentle smile. He didn’t translate what Aphelios had said for Swain, but Aphelios guessed he didn’t need to. Swain had already heard everything from Alune.

“It’s perhaps the worst feeling in existence,” Vladimir stated, and Aphelios nodded in agreement. If he dwelt on it too long, he was going to have a panic attack. This was supposed to be about Vladimir so he swiftly tried to distract himself with tea and cake.

“So,” said Vladimir, after a deep breath, “My captors had a useless hostage. The quickest and cleanest option was of course to kill me. Yet, after I finished questioning the meaning of existence, I decided that I couldn’t stay like this. I couldn’t be ‘nothing’ forever, even if forever was a matter of minutes for me. I bottled up the pain, the fear, the betrayal, and decided to achieve something, anything, before I went. I told my captors that killing me would be a waste. I demanded to speak to their leader – a snivelling suited man they called ‘The Captain’. They decided to humour me, perhaps as a last request, and brought the man down from his office.”

Vladimir picked up the notebook he’d set aside on his lap and took off the strap.

“I told the Captain that he had no reason to hurt me anymore. In fact, I could be useful to him. I was a fresh face, young, unknown – the police would have no clue who I was, and neither would rival gangs, or their other enemies. All they had to do was teach me the trade and I would work for them, whatever they needed from me, I could do it. I pointed out I could speak three languages, one proficiently, two fluently. I told them I knew the sons of other powerful and wealthy people due to my time at Eton. I was useful to them. Killing me would be a wasted opportunity.”

He opened the little book and turned it to the first scrappy page. He was now looking at the pages rather than anyone in the room, as if he couldn’t bring himself to maintain eye contact anymore. 

“And that’s how I joined a criminal gang,” Vladimir concluded, “At the time, it was one of the worst gangs to run the streets of London – though I didn’t know that at the time. 

Out of all the bizarre things Vladimir had said since they’d known each other, “That’s how I joined a criminal gang,” truly took the cake. Aphelios couldn’t blame him though. However terrible the gang turned out to be, he couldn’t blame Vladimir for not wanting to die. It was extraordinary that he’d had the mental strength to pull himself through his grief at being betrayed and then argue for his life. And being successful at it too! He truly had talked for his life aged sixteen, just as he said. Aphelios couldn’t imagine how awful it must have been for poor sixteen-year-old Vladimir, held hostage, tortured and then abandoned like that. No wonder he had a fixation with control! How helpless he must have felt back then. How helpless he must have felt going forth as he lived a life of crime.

Vladimir began to flip through his first diary as he spoke, still not looking at anyone.

“My memory is very spotty for the next few years,” he confessed, “But I did write it down, what I could anyway, let me see what I can gather, please give me a moment.”

They did indeed give him a moment. However, they weren’t left sitting around in silence.

“May I use this opportunity to fill in a little context of my own?” Swain asked his fiancé, “To round out the story as it were.”

“Yes, please,” said Vladimir, eyes still on the book. Swain took a deep breath and put his free hand on one of his knees.

“During this time,” he told Aphelios and the Dictaphone, “I was in a very busy period of my life, one that would become relevant to Vladimir in the coming years. I had recently been relieved from active duty abroad due to my injuries. However, they kept me on in an administrative almost-diplomatic position, considering my rank as General and the fact I had already established myself as a political advisor, providing a military perspective to members of the current government. Between the two aspects of my career however, was another drive – the ambition to expose my father and his peers for the corrupt and greedy tyrants they were. You have heard of the Oil Raid Scandal, I take it?”

Aphelios nodded.

“My new role back on home soil aided matters,” Swain continued, “However, I had swiftly realised to gain any evidence on my father’s illegal business, I would need to delve into his methods, his accomplices, the numerous criminal gangs that did his and his peers’ bidding. This could not be accomplished in my capacity as a general, or as a political advisor.”

So Swain was investigating the gangs and Vladimir was in a gang, that explained how they met! Or at least that was Aphelios was assuming so far – he’d undoubtedly get told if he was patient.

“As Vladimir mentioned before, he was held captive beneath a night club. The gangs we speak of tended to base themselves in the underground spaces, backrooms, or even run, small local music venues. They were irrefutably tied with the music industry – many gangs producing their own artists, groups or even gig service companies as fronts to aid or fund their efforts. It is very easy to smuggle around goods disguised as concert equipment for example. It also enables them to travel the country, or to other countries, under the guise of touring. When really, they were there to smuggle goods or intimidate targets. I realised, during this time, that to infiltrate these spaces, I would first have to infiltrate the music industry.”

Wait, was he saying… Domination had been part of the Oil Raid Scandal too? This was so much wider in scope than Aphelios imagined!

“During my time in…recovery,” Swain stated, his pause betraying a slight indecision in his wording, “I was considering leaving the military once and for all. I even researched how to do so without harming my career and good reputation. This caught the attention of a man, well not a man, I could not be sure of that, but I caught the attention of this person who was evidently seeking someone with my status and expertise. In exchange for their incredible resources, this person wanted me to not only expose my father and his peers in the most public press-covered means possible, but also to destroy every single gang I came in contact with. What they got out of that, they at first wouldn’t tell me. However, I would later track them down and turn their interests into a means to control them. At this point, I did truly wish to exterminate the crime and corruption within my home city, so I struck an alliance with this new contact who only wished to be identified as Raum.”

That meant nothing to Aphelios, it sounded more like an acronym than a name.

“One of the resources Raum provided was a secret forum of sorts, a network where disgraced ex-military professionals who would get together to discuss their experiences. It also served as a job board of sorts, if they wished to use their military skills in less official capacities. It was this forum that I used to recruit myself the foundations of a band. I sought out ex-military types with both musical talent, and the skills required to deal with these gangs. It was through this forum that I found Pyke, Katarina and Zed, discharged the navy, army and secret service respectively. Diana had been a war reporter but no one would publish her true accounts for fear of causing controversy. She was not a soldier, but her investigative techniques proved most useful. Morgana came a little later – fired from the police force after she tried to make a stand against her sister’s division. Together we formed Domination – the rock band and corruption investigation team.”

Aphelios couldn’t help but notice there was a name missing from that list. However Vladimir was too busy reading so signing it at Swain wasn’t going to help. He pulled out his phone, wrote out what he wanted to say, and then showed Swain the screen.

**How did you meet Sett?**

“Settrigh was recruited once we had realised that music was a career we could pursue permanently, not just a cover for our research,” Swain explained, “He was working one of the venues we investigated. I hoped that perhaps he was a gang member we could persuade to switch sides and testify; however he was just a troubled young man working his first paid job. He was an impressive fighter however, so that could have come in useful.”

So Sett didn’t have some shady military background, that was good to know. Yet Aphelios was still wrapping his head around the fact that this very famous rock band had started as a cover for investigating criminal gangs. This didn’t sound real. To think this was all happening throughout music venues all over London… not that Aphelios had ever been clubbing or to a concert when he was younger, but he must have at least walked past a few.

“I think I’ve got it now,” Vladimir stated, closing his first book with a snap, “I’m ready.”

They instantly focussed his attention back on him. Vladimir’s expression was now rather disgusted, as if he didn’t like what he’d read at all.

“I was in that gang for four years,” he began again, “And during that time I did many, many, things that I cannot be forgiven for. Not even by my own mind, who seeks to erase them so I don’t wallow in my own guilt. As soon as I began working for them, I realised how terrible that organisation was and how they certainly would have killed me without regret, and still could. I was instantly and ridiculously over my head, but in my determination to live, I decided it couldn’t remain that way. I devoted my time to learning a broad range of highly unscrupulous skills. Being sixteen, short and rather skinny, I didn’t have the aptitude for physical confrontation, so they tasked me with more administrative, more creative, pursuits. At first it was running errands, sending post, acting as a secretary, but then I was taught how deep this gang’s corruption went. I learned how to fake all sort of documentation, order the sorts of supplies only accessible from dangerous and war-mongering men, organise the rental of vehicles for various jobs. The gang’s ability with computers was frankly dire, so I promptly streamlined all their communications, their organisation, I helped them commit crime more efficiently… this especially got me promoted rapidly through the ranks. Soon I was organising the raids, the stakeouts, the smuggling, not just dealing with the results. I was quickly becoming an authority figure in the worst possible way.”

He gave a huff, as if he couldn’t believe what was coming out of his own mouth.

“By the time I was seventeen, I had authority over the men who had kidnapped me. As I couldn’t hurt them or leave the gang, this was all the revenge I ever expected to get. Now I possessed my own underlings, I quickly developed means to keep them under my control. I rapidly learned how to lead the worst sorts of people, how to negotiate, blackmail, manipulate… Emboldened by my internal success, I set my sights on improving my status further within the gang. I wanted to surpass or achieve equal rank to the Captain himself – mostly as a twisted form of vengeance.”

Taking a sip of tea, Vladimir shuddered a little.

“As Swain said, the gangs were linked tight with the music industry. Our biggest rival had two members in one of the most successful heavy metal bands to grace this world in a while. I was determined to humiliate this rival gang, to bring them down a few notches to impress my superiors. However, I would need information before I could do that. So, to obtain that, I ingratiated myself into the entourage of Pentakill, and started up a relationship with their guitarist, Mordekaiser.”

So that was where that photo had come from!

“I like to think I seduced him,” Vladimir stated, “However, you could very much argue that a seventeen-year-old cannot legally consent to intimacy with an adult, and therefore I didn’t. However, at the time, I felt like a seductive mastermind. And I still think-”

“Let the record know, this is something he refuses to back down on,” Swain interrupted, “We have talked many times about this particular abuse, but he refuses to see himself as the one being abused here. Even though he knows he was a minor at the time and in a-”

“Because I chose to do it!” Vladimir interrupted back, “And yes, when you refused to sleep with me until I was twenty-three, it made me realise how young and naïve I was back then. But it was my choice and I stand by that!”

“It was a choice you were not mature enough to make,” Swain stated simply, “And one day you will accept that.”

“Anyway!” Vladimir declared, “I got a lot of information about our rivals, even going as far as setting up a fight in a warehouse in Dover than killed some of their leaders and enabled us to steal a large supply of smuggled firearms. Afterwards, I had to lay low for a while, in case suspicion was passed back through Mordekaiser to me. It annoys me immensely that Pentakill still remain successful and unscathed by that incident and every other. However, I did damage that gang immensely, to the point that the gang I belonged to surpassed them in both power and influence. Understandably I was promoted, and in doing so I learnt a lot about how and why the gang functioned.”

He picked up his little book and showed them a scribbled diagram, it looked a bit like a family tree to Aphelios.

“It turned out, in our gang alone, there were four individuals at the same level of seniority as the Captain, myself being one of them at that point. I had thought the Captain was Boss, the highest rung of the ladder, the Biggest and Baddest. But no. All four ‘captains’ answered to one man – a man who gave instructions without ever touching the crimes he ordered. This man was one Lord Swain, a preeminent British politician, but more relevantly, the owner of a large oil distribution company that served much of Europe.”

Swain made a small contemptuous noise under his breath. When he realised Aphelios had heard him, he plucked a sandwich off a tray and tried to pass it off as hunger. Aphelios then remembered there was food and did the same before it went to waste, as no one seemed to be eating much.

“Occasionally I spoke with the man, as I had gained the reputation as the most eloquent and smooth-talking out of the four leaders. However, most of the time was spent doing his bidding rather than conversing with him. Nothing else really changed until late into my eighteenth year. I was a terrible person doing terrible things, and now I had power, I even enjoyed some of it. I liked being manipulative, loved turning people against each other. Politics were so much fun and though they rarely involved bloodshed, they certainly changed things rapidly. Occasionally I would make my own underlings fight, sometimes I would set my fellow leaders against each other, somehow none of it ever got back to me. It was the most power I’d felt in a very long time, and the feeling of power was what I used to quash the guilt.”

Vladimir seemingly realised the other two were eating and did so too.

“We used our success,” he said into his cake fork, “To turn our nightclub base into a proper music venue, with named acts and everything, to keep the money flowing in. You won’t be surprised to hear that Domination became one of those acts – a regular in fact, every Friday for a month at one point. It was during one of these Fridays, late at night, that I first encountered a very handsome and rather nosy musician, snooping around the club’s back offices.”

His smile returned as he glanced at Swain. 

“Of course we got talking. I always considered myself a very good conversationalist, and an excellent liar as well. I even gave a fake name but something must have given away my history as an Etonite, as I believe it that which you used to work out who I was?”

“Yes,” Swain confirmed, “There is a phrase carved into the doorway of one of the dorms that has been there for many years, dating even further back than my own time there. It swiftly becomes an in-joke between every generation of students. As soon as you used it, I knew you must have been schooled there as well. This caught my curiosity – as it appeared you should currently be at school, not working in the backend of a nightclub. I approximated your age and researched whether there had been any gang-related crimes at Eton within the last few years. Of course there had, involving the son of an oil baron no less. It was surprising at first, that the victim would join the very organisation who kidnapped them, but, as I reasoned then, people will do anything in the face of certain death.”

“So you started approaching me every time you were at our venue, just for friendly conversation,” Vladimir continued, “This surprised me, but I liked your company. Then, on the final night of Domination’s run, you persuaded me to come outside with you. I thought you were trying to seduce me, and was very much for it, so I followed. Instead you turned round and said those magic words that changed my life.”

He leant his head on the side of the armchair and batted his eye lashes at his fiancé. He was evidently waiting for Swain to say them again. With a slight huff of amusement, Swain complied,

“Vladimir, I can get you out.”

“I didn’t know how he knew who I was,” Vladimir explained directly to Aphelios now, “But it was clear from a little more conversation that he knew who I was and what had happened to me. At first, I was wary of this being a trap from another gang – someone using the very tricks I would utilise against them. However, as soon as I heard his name, and did a little research of my own, I was convinced. We met in secret, time and time again, to discuss what we could do. The idea of taking down Lord Swain and his entire organisation with the help of his son was too sensational to resist. It was the perfect revenge, the perfect way to make them regret ever harming me. Finally I had a way out. Finally I didn’t have to hurt anyone else. Finally I could be free and start again.”

“It took two years,” Swain reminded him.

“It did,” Vladimir agreed, “But weren’t those two years so much fun? Apart from the thing that’s relevant to Aphelios, I’ll get to that soon, but the rest! Systematically breaking down and destroying every gang that I’d ever crossed paths with. It was so cathartic! Of course I had to do it in a way that didn’t provoke suspicion from my colleagues. So we started with the other gangs first – the other leaders must have thought I was going on a power-hungry rampage, but it certainly worked. I used our gang’s resources to set up our rivals to fail. Everything from exposing members and hideouts to the police, to arranging for deals to go south, to simply attacking them where they thought they were safe. The only people who got hurt were going to end up in prison regardless so it felt like the perfect means to start thinning down our opposition. We also employed hackers remember? Such wonderful information for arranging accidents with! Though…it was through that information that I first encountered the Solari.”

Aphelios sat bolt upright at the name. Vladimir’s glee subsided a little as he noticed Aphelios’ fright.

“One of our rivals were often engaged to do hits on certain people, or groups of people,” he explained, his tone growing more serious as he talked, “I noticed when I went through their records that they were often contracted by someone called Professor S, either to assail a group or to conduct a drive by. The gang’s notes marked the Professor as belonging to a faction known as the Solari. So of course I looked that up, and discovered who the Solari were. These attacks were undoubtedly religious in nature, and Professor S was hiring this gang to serve existing Solari leaders. In fact the records even had names of contacts and meeting points, to use in further research. As I was doing the research, I noted that there was a hit planned for that very day – and the gang had hired a cargo truck for the operation.”

The coach incident!

Oh moon above…

The coach incident had been done by Solari-hired gang members? Gang members from an organisation that was rivals with the one Vladimir was in. And at the time, Vladimir was trying to destroy that gang before destroying his own. Did that mean Vladimir…

 _“Did you destroy the gang? What happened to those people?”_ Aphelios asked, heart-racing. Did something happen to them? Did something happen to the people who had destroyed everything he and Alune had once known. Was it possible that they got punished for their crimes? Was that too much to hope to hope for?

“Either dead or in prison, including their Solari contacts,” Vladimir reported, “Those that survived until the Great Cull, were on our list of confirmed gang members that we handed over to the police in the great Oil Raid Scandal report. Because we had proof the Solari were involved, via the emails and plans we got off their computers, they also ended up being arrested.”

 _“The Great Cull?”_ Aphelios asked.

Vladimir nodded.

“After two years of scheming and information gathering with my very attractive new saviour, we compiled a great list of every known gang member affiliated with the three corrupt politicians. And I mean every known member – from the freshest faced recruit to the most senior of officials. Apart from myself of course, that was my reward for spilling everything. My ruining of the other gangs had leant greater power to the one I was trapped in. Honestly, people were becoming rather scared of me. However what they neglected to remember was that I was the one who set up all their computer records, improved their means to track their own members, even organised where every member should be based throughout the city. That meant all I had to do was hand Swain a list of names and addresses, along with proof of what each member had done and what incidents they were linked to. I gave him folders upon folders, digital and paper, full of evidence against his father and every rank and tier within the gang. I handed over every piece of digital and physical data the gang had – emails and letters, bank account information and old cheque books, reports from organised projects, even photos from Christmas parties. We then went through them all, removed any that involved me as a member, and then Swain delivered it all to both police and press in one fantastic revelation.”

“I’ve never seen the police act so fast,” Swain commented with a wry smile, “They even got the army involved, such was the scale of the arrests. They had to use some retired barracks as a temporary prison as they processed so many people that the local authorities couldn’t cope. I wish I had been there when they came for my father, the press got some incredibly unflattering photographs, but not being there is my only regret.”

 _“Where were you when this happened?”_ Aphelios asked Vladimir, thinking it would be mighty suspicious the other gang members got arrested and realised Vladimir hadn’t.

“Oh yes, I got ahead of myself,” Vladimir said, “Before the whole big reveal, we arranged for the second kidnapping of my life. Except this time, it was by Swain’s bandmates and I ended up Swain’s house in central London. They made a very good show of it, even left behind a ransom demand, though the experience did bring back some memories I really didn’t want to dwell on.”

“We did offer to fake your death instead,” Swain reminded him, “It would have been more difficult but it wouldn’t have triggered you.”

“Perhaps,” Vladimir said, “But it’s all happened now. The day of the arrests was, I think, a month later. It was an incredibly surreal experience. I got so fixated by watching the news that I forgot basic things like food and sleep. It was hard to believe it was finally happening. It wasn’t until I saw the Captain getting arrested, on live television, that it finally sank in. I was free! After what felt like a lifetime, I was out. Not only that, I had dismantled the very structure that had kidnapped me in the first place. The very man who had decided that it was acceptable to torture a teenager for discounted oil, was now behind bars and so were hundreds of his lackeys! It was revenge, long-winded and exceptionally complicated revenge, but I had done it. No, **we** had done it.”

He raised his tea cup as if to make a toast.

“And then… it was chaotic for a while, but I swiftly had to accept my new reality. I was scared at times, to put all my trust in one man’s word that I would be safe through all of this. However, my trust was never misplaced. In exchange for betraying everyone, Swain promised me that I would be under his care and protection. I would come to live with him and start to rebuild the life had been cruelly denied at sixteen. At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with that life, I was too busy trying to get my head around what happened to me, what was still happening out there in the wider world. For a while I became obsessed with trying to show my gratitude, which mostly meant I got in the way all the time. I also tried to show my appreciation through sexual favours but he wasn’t having it. Such a spoilsport. I was an adult and everything.”

“You were a highly traumatised and vulnerable young adult,” Swain told him, “Whilst I did appreciate your interest, and told you as much, I wasn’t going to touch you until you had settled back into a normal routine and learned a sense of self-respect that didn’t involve throwing yourself at older men. I didn’t want our relationship to be based on a sense of owing me for your life.”

“You made me wait three more years!” Vladimir exclaimed, “I thought you were hot when I was eighteen! That’s a whole five years of wanting and not getting!”

“And think how much you learned from the experience,” Swain told him, “And all the things you did, or learned to do, because you thought it would persuade me otherwise. Would you ever have seen a therapist if you weren’t so keen to seem well-adjusted?”

“Touché,” Vladimir sighed, “I guess getting to redecorate this place was a pretty good distraction in the meanwhile. But I’m never waiting five years for anything else ever again.”

Though he wasn’t going to tell his friend that, Aphelios highly approved of Swain keeping Vladimir at a distance for that long. Knowing that Swain was Vladimir’s Sugar Daddy for a bit had made him wonder what would happen immediately after Vladimir was free of his life of crime. If Swain immediately starting sleeping with the newly-freed Vladimir… that would just seem very skeevy, as if he’d spared Vladimir because he was hot. But no, Vladimir hadn’t got what he wanted until he was twenty-three, which meant they had been sleeping together for five years now. He couldn’t help but wonder if ‘sugar daddy’ had just been a rumour Vladimir had spread, to cover the fact that Swain had been financially supporting him because he’d left a criminal gang.

 _“So when did you start seeing each other romantically?”_ he asked. 

“Our first explicitly romantic date was three years ago,” Vladimir stated with relish, “It had mostly been sexual the two years prior when he finally let me sleep with him. For a while I thought he was just being hesitant about sex in general, but no, turned out the ex-General was kinky as-“

“Vladimir,” Swain interrupted, “He doesn’t want to hear those kinds of details.”

Aphelios nodded enthusiastically.

“Ah well, he’ll learn eventually,” Vladimir said, “When we give him a key to a downstairs suite. I guess there’s not much story left to tell. I live here now, and as you can see; I did a spectacular job of redecorating the place. Swain wanted all his parent’s décor removed so he didn’t have to think of them anymore. And to keep me occupied, he gave me a budget and a lot of experts to email, and let me freshen up the place. That was fun. I was pretty much dependant until I had both Uninhibited and my influencer career to sustain me. We were thorough enough that no one has tried to wreak any sort of revenge yet, but it never hurts to be careful. Meeting Pentakill at Rift Fest was unfortunate, I do wish we’d been able to arrest them too, but that was just how it all turned out.”

How terrified Vladimir had been of being caught by Mordekaiser definitely made sense now.

 _“Well if we ever end up somewhere with Pentakill, Ezreal and I will protect you,”_ he promised, _“Or at least I will if Ezreal has wandered off somewhere.”_

“That’s very sweet of you,” Vladimir replied, “And I’m still very grateful that you did. I admit, it’s very nice to have friends that visit you sometimes. It got rather lonely when I was on my own in this place, especially when a certain someone went off touring. I must confess, despite my own charms, I didn’t expect to really make any genuine lifelong friends out of my new life. I thought perhaps I was too damaged, too traumatised, to really trust anyone again.”

 _“After everything, I didn’t think I’d ever have friends either,”_ Aphelios admitted, “ _Just Alune. I didn’t expect anything like this.”_

“Yet here we are,” Vladimir proclaimed, raising his teacup once more. Aphelios gave into temptation and raised his cup too.

 _“Yet here we are,”_ he agreed with a smile.


End file.
